Some Bonds Can Never Be Broken
by KayBeth13
Summary: She was always there, helping them, protecting them, loving them. Even when war broke out, she refused to stay back and let them die, standing with them every step of the way. Now, she needs to be there once more to help the recently unfrozen Steve Rogers make sense of his new life, that is, if she can convince herself she isn't dreaming...Story 1 in the Some Bonds Series.
1. Echoes of Memories

_Hey everyone! So, yes, I am back and I have FINALLY decided on my next series. As I am a huge Captain America fan, I decided to focus on that. My favourite character has got to be Bucky, so it really was a no brainer to make him the main love interest for my own character (apologies if that isn't your cup of tea!)_

 _SO, this story will start off just after Cap runs away from SHIELD and meets Nick Fury and though eventually it will follow the Winter Soldier and Avengers: AoU, the majority of the chapters will be set in the past and once the story is set in the present, there will be a number of flashbacks which are crucial for my character's history and development (again, apologies if this isn't your thing)._

 _This is the first time I've ever written something that skips from present to the past, and has a lot of flashbacks so I hope I do it justice and I look forward to any reviews!_

 _The first chapter is deliberately short but after that, they will get longer!_

 _On with the show!_

… _.._

 _ **April 17**_ _ **th**_ _ **2012, SHIELD headquarters, New York City.**_

Once Nick Fury had managed to convince Steve Rogers to return to SHIELD headquarters, he breathed a deep sigh of relief. The last thing they needed was a culture-shocked Captain America disappearing on them. He could just imagine trying to explain that one to Pierce. 'Yeah, we defrosted him. He ran away.' That would go down well.

Oblivious to the thoughts in the director's head, Steve followed silently behind, taking the time to actually look around. His head was spinning from the modern technology surrounding him. He was even more perplexed at the number of women wearing trousers and combat boots, identical to the men. Had times really changed that much that it was common for women to now fight on the front line? The only two women he'd ever seen fight along with the men had been incredible exceptions back in his day. He thought of Peggy, his heart clenching painfully as he remembered that even out in the camps, she was always in her skirt and heels, hair impeccably in place. Only once did he ever see her in trousers. Inevitably, thinking of her made him think of the others- his Howling Commandos, Howard Stark…Bucky and Beth. Blinking fiercely as his eyes misted over, he almost missed the glance sent over Fury's shoulder.

"You okay Cap?" he asked, a rare tone of concern in his voice.

Steve wanted to say yes, but his head began to spin further instead, forcing his hand to shoot out and press against the wall in a desperate bid to stay standing. The voices of his past kept whispering in his mind, each one reminding him of what he'd sacrificed, what he'd never get back. The weight of his sorrow made his body feel too heavy for his legs and he dropped to his knees, uncaring that a small crowd had gathered, watching him like he was an animal caged in a zoo. He wanted to beg them to leave him alone, but his mouth struggled to form the words. The world began to blur, the whispers in his head coming thicker and faster until he wanted to scream for them to leave him alone. He didn't know if his heart could take the pain, his hand shooting up to his chest as if he was ready to rip it out himself and end it. Suddenly, one of the voices came to him louder and clearer than the others, as if the person was standing in the room with him.

"Oh my god. Steve!"

The clarity of the voice collided with the ghosts in his mind and he wanted to sob. He was sure this was some sick form of torture, subtle reminders of what he'd lost constantly hitting him until he went mad. He felt a bitter laugh brewing in his chest. Bucky always said he was the crazy one and the voices along with imagining he could hear _her_ in front of him made him begin to think maybe his best friend had a valid point. Struggling to breathe under the intensity of his grief, he looked up to prove to himself that he was just imagining her.

"It can't be." He murmured as he heard the voice once more.

Closing his eyes, he found himself unable to hold back his tears, cringing as they began to slide down his face. So lost in his sorrow, he failed to see the person trying to part the crowd, calling out to him repeatedly.

"Steve! Steve, look at me dam you!" the voice called again.

His eyes snapped open, looking at the crowd in confusion. He was in disbelief; that was definitely something _she_ would never have said to him, however, years of Bucky's influence had changed that, turning her into quite the smart mouth in the last years.

The crowd in front of him finally parted and his eyes landed on a petite woman as familiar to him as his own reflection. The second his azure blue eyes connected with the identical ones he last saw falling into the ocean, his mind fell silent before shutting down completely. Unable to fight it, his vision finally turned black and he crumpled to the floor. He managed to stay conscious long enough to see her drop down next to him, tears rolling down her face as shaking hands cradled his face. As he finally lost his battle with consciousness, his lips parted and he whispered a single word.

"Beth..."


	2. Beth

_Hopefully, you're here because you really liked the first chapter and I thank you for continuing to read! This is the first chapter set back in the past, so I hope it all goes well and doesn't confuse anyone! I promise I won't interrupt the story too much more, unless there is anything crucial I need to explain. Enjoy!_

…

 _ **June 6**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 1928. Brooklyn, New York.**_

It wasn't too unusual to have a cold snap in June, but after the heatwave they had only a week earlier, this one had taken the whole city by surprise. As a result, people were in too much of a rush to get in to the warmth to notice anything going on around them, too busy to even to find out what the source of the loud crashing noise was as they passed one particular alley. Nobody stopped to witness a small boy being thrown into the opposite wall by a boy much larger than himself. They just continued on their way, unaware of the blood beginning to pool on the floor as it gushed out of the smaller boy's nose. The boy refused to back down despite his injuries, barley able to stand on his feet as he tried to out-stare his attacker.

"I gotta hand it to ya, ya don't go down easy. Makes it more fun."

Despite the fact his head was spinning from the blood loss and repeated punches, he simply stared back, determination to keep fighting dominating his expression. The other boy snarled, grasping the front of his shirt and throwing him further into the alley with such force, the material ripped as his victim crashed to the floor. Still, the runt scrambled back to his feet, fists sloppily raised as he faced off once more. The older boy glared, the stubbornness of the kid quickly turning him from amused to angry.

"Seriously? What is with you, you little brat, wanna die?"

Azure blue eyes narrowed, even as deep down, he knew that he really should back down.

"I don't like bullies." He stated simply, speaking as if the answer should have been obvious to said bully.

Unfortunately, his response only earned him another hit to the face, this time with enough force to finally knock him on to his back. He groaned as he fell, knowing he wasn't getting up again any time soon. He clenched his eyes shut, not particularly wanting to see the foot heading his way collide with his face. Had his eyes been open, he would have noticed that finally, somebody had ignored the cold enough to stop and see what was causing the noise in the alley. He would have also recognised the person and moved out of their sight so they couldn't recognise him in return, but luck was not on his side. The bully lowered his foot at the sound of footsteps approaching and glared down as a small girl appeared in front of him. Before he could open his mouth to tell her to leave, her eyes drifted down to the boy laying on the ground and her eyes widened in shock.

"Steve!?" She called.

Ten year-old Steven Grant Rogers let out a groan at the familiarity of the voice, wishing that he was strong enough to get up, grab her and get her to safety. He knew she was exactly the same as him when it came to bullies, especially when he was the one being bullied, and would inevitably end up hurt in a bid to try and help him. His eyes opened slowly to see her looking at him, a mixture of horror and anger on her face as she took in his state. It didn't take long for her to realise the injuries came from the boy hovering above him, and she quickly glared, hands falling on to her hips to mirror the stance her mother fell in to whenever she was angry.

"You big jerk! Pick on somebody else or I'll call the police!" she shouted as loud as she could, hoping her voice would carry and attract some help.

Steve let out another groan and tried to pick himself up as the bully returned her glare, walking up to her until he was towering above her. The momentary bravado she had vanished, and Steve could only watch helplessly as the older boy bent so he was face to face with her.

"Is that so, pipsqueak? Well, okay then I will pick on somebody else. Let's see, there's only you, me and him here, so I guess you'll have to do won't you?"

By now, the seven year old realised that her threat of calling the police hadn't scared him away as she had naively thought it would. Slowly, she began to back away, eyes wide with fear. Without warning, he reached out and grasped her arm, throwing her towards Steve so she couldn't dart away from the alley without having to get through him first. With a squeak of pain, she landed next to Steve, her knee scraping against the floor. She let out a small whimper as she automatically shuffled towards Steve, her eyes watering with pain. The moment she was close enough to him, Steve protectively wrapped his arms round her and scowled up at the bully once more.

"Leave her alone." He warned.

The boy sneered, knowing there was nothing the kid could do to hurt him.

"Why, is she your girlfriend or something? She's a bit young don't you think? Though I bet one day she'll be a fine piece of ass" he mocked, echoing the words he'd heard some older boys say about a woman a few days earlier.

With a burst of rage at the insult to the girl, Steve lurched to his feet and managed to successfully collide with the bully's stomach, making the boy stumble back with a look of surprise.

"She's actually my little sister and you'd better treat her with more respect than that." Steve growled, eyes still flashing with anger.

Keeping her mouth shut despite wanting to call out to her brother, Elizabeth May Rogers quietly began edging away from the pair, even as Steve was once more sent to the floor by the bully's right hook. She didn't want to leave her brother alone with the bully, but he needed help that she knew she couldn't give. Their mother wasn't too far away, the older woman also looking for Steve after he had disappeared an hour earlier. She knew if she could just slip past, she could raise an alarm, however, the bully read her movements, his hand shooting out once more to grab her shoulder. Reacting instinctively, she swung her other arm round and there was a loud slap as her hand met the boy's cheek. seeing the dark look that shot across the bully's face, Steve grit his teeth and tried to pull himself up, but the dizziness from that last punch kept him firmly on the cold ground. The older boy's grip tightened, the young girl yelping in pain, however she still tried to twist and hit him again. This time he was ready for the move and blocked it before slamming her hard against the wall behind her, her skull hitting the brick with a crack that had Steve calling out her name in a panic. There was no sound from her, the force enough to daze her. He released his grip and she slumped to the floor, silent tears rolling down her face as she clutched the back of her head.

"Serves you right for getting involved. Such a little crybaby." he taunted.

At the sight of blood seeping through his sister's fingers, Steve managed to pull himself off the floor and rushed over to her, narrowly dodging another hit from the bully. He barely managed to stop from standing on her, the move twisting his ankle and sending him sprawling in front of her. As the bully began advancing towards them, a voice suddenly called out, the sound making all three children jump.

"Hey!"

The bully turned to tell the newcomer to mind his own business, only to have a fist smash into his face instead. He let out a loud wail as his front teeth were knocked from their sockets. In seconds he took off running, his loud cries of pain fading as he made his way to the nearest person who would help him. Steve didn't bother to watch him run, instead turning to his sister, cradling her face in his hands as her eyes slowly came back in to focus.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice laced with worry as blood continued to run from the back of her skull.

She let out a tiny whimper as she said no and shook her head in response. He pulled her into an embrace, kissing the top of her head as her small body quivered against his own. A cough from nearby reminded him that somebody had helped them and he looked up to find a boy not much older than himself walking back over to them after making sure the bully wasn't coming back. The two boy's eyes met and Steve nodded his head in thanks, receiving a small nod in return. Steve gently unwrapped his arms from Beth and helped her to her feet so he could look at her more closely, uncaring that his own injuries were worse. Her knee was badly grazed, her arm already bruising from the bully's grasp and he could see a cut on the back of her head from hitting the wall that he had no doubt would need stitches.

"Did you get hurt anywhere else?" he asked her softly.

She shook her head and sniffled. It was then that she looked at the new boy, immediately mesmerised by his deep blue eyes that looked at her with a warmth that seemed to make them glow. He gave her a smile and she felt her own mouth return the gesture, even as she shyly pressed herself further into Steve's side. Steve's arms tightened round her briefly before letting her go so he could extend his hand out.

"Thanks for helping, I owe you one."

"Don't mention it. If there's one thing I hate, its people that pick on those smaller than them or who hit girls. I'm just glad you're both okay. Oh! My names James Barnes, but you can call me Bucky" The boy said as he took hold of Steve's hand with his own, a grin on his face.

Steve returned Bucky's grin as he released his hand.

"I'm Steve and this is my sister, Elizabeth."

"Beth!" she argued, her lip forming a put that made Bucky's smile deepen as Steve corrected himself and explained she hated being called by her full name.

It was at that moment a frantic woman with blonde hair pulled neatly into a bun came running into the alley. Her blue eyes fell on the Roger's siblings and relief filled them, quickly replaced with more concern.

"There you two are! I've been going crazy looking for you! What on earth happened to you both!?" she exclaimed as she took in the sight before her of both children bleeding.

Beth flew into her mothers arms, breaking into loud sobs as her mother's arms wrapped round her. Sarah looked to Steve for an explanation, but Bucky beat him to it.

"A boy was bullying them ma'am. I helped them make him leave." Bucky answered, hoping to get the pair out of any trouble for getting into a fight.

She blinked in surprise at him as she hadn't noticed him at first, too worried about her children. Bucky shuffled his feet, expecting a reprimand or for her to tell him to leave, only to find himself shocked when she reached over and kissed his cheek.

"In that case, I owe you thanks. Lord knows these two get into far too much trouble, both of them too stubborn to back down from a fight just like their father. Do you live nearby? I have to take these rascals to the doctor but afterwards we'll go for ice cream and I'd like you to join us as a thank you for rescuing my babies."

Bucky noticed Steve blush at being called a baby, while Elizabeth's face scrunched up in distaste. Too humbled by the gratefulness of the lady in front of him, he didn't grin, but as she turned to fuss over them, he sent them both a glance so they knew he'd seen their reactions.

"I live just across the street ma'am and it would be my pleasure to come for ice cream." He responded, his voice oozing a charm that told Sarah Rogers he would one day turn into a heart breaker.

As she turned to tuck Steve and Elizabeth under each of her arms, she indicated for Bucky to follow them. Falling in to step, Bucky caught gazes with the siblings and the three broke out into matching grins, cementing the friendship that would take them through their lives.


	3. Bully

_Me again! This chapter is more aimed at looking at the relationships between Beth, Bucky and Steve as well as to build on Beth a bit more! Hope you like! Thank you for your reviews, favourites and follows, they mean the world to me!_

 _..._

 _ **September 5**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 1933. Brooklyn, New York.**_

Before meeting Bucky, Sarah Rogers worried greatly about her children. Shy, accident-prone Steve was always getting into fights he had no hope of winning and when not fighting, would shut himself away with his sketchbook while Beth, who was more outgoing but still shy, chose to shut herself away with her books and often got into trouble herself when she tried to stop the scraps her brother got in to. Within a month of meeting Bucky, the boy a year older than Steve had almost become part of the furniture of the Roger's household. Sarah never once complained, too overjoyed to see her children laughing and playing, though they still had an uncanny knack for getting into fights. Thankfully, Bucky was usually never far behind to end the brawls that Steve started and Beth had attempted to finish.

After five years, the two boys had become more akin to brothers, and though at times she knew it frustrated them, they never once failed to let Beth tag along, despite the fact she was four years younger. Even at school, the boys let her sit with them at lunch, ignoring the strange looks they received in doing so. If anyone ever asked why they let her join them, whichever boy asked would simply shrug and give the same answer.

"Because she's family."

The year Bucky moved up to high school, Steve and Beth continued sitting together, meeting with Bucky at the gates after every school day. They never told him that they were the talk of the school, with girls constantly asking Beth to introduce them to the handsome sixteen year old and Steve beaten up almost daily by the boyfriends of said girls, jealous of their infatuation with Bucky.

The day Steve moved up to high school to join his best friend, Beth was expecting to feel more upset, however, being more outgoing than her brother, she did have a very small group of friends who had already offered for her to join them at lunchtimes. On the first day of school, Steve and Bucky walked her to the gate and Steve gave her a hug.

"We'll meet you here after school, okay squirt?" he asked.

She frowned at the name he'd only called her since meeting Bucky and punched him lightly in the arm, making him laugh.

"Okay punk." She said, mimicking Bucky's favourite word for the older sibling.

The pair waved as they began walking away and she smiled widely as she waved back. Spotting her friends, she began to make her way over to them, only to be stopped by one of the boys in the senior class.

"You're friends with that Barnes kid, aren't you?" He asked her.

"What is it to you?" she replied, not liking where the conversation was heading.

The boy stepped up to her and she nervously stepped back out of instinct. Suddenly, she wished her friend and brother were there, but she quickly put the thought out of her mind; they weren't there, this was her fight.

"It's a lot to me. Tell him to stay away from here."

Frowning, she felt her arms instinctively cross.

"Why?" she asked, against her better judgement.

"Just do it." He growled before stalking off.

The moment he was out of sight, Beth saw her friend Mary run over to her, worry shining in her chocolate coloured eyes.

"Are you okay? I only just saw Henry talking to you and realised it can't be anything good!"

Beth shook her head and looped arms with the other girl.

"It's fine. He just wants me to ask Bucky not to come here any more."

Beside her, Mary scoffed and rolled her eyes. Seeing the confusion on Beth's face, she gave a small giggle.

"He's jealous! He's dating Jessica Palmer, who saw Bucky drop you off during last year and has now grown a slight obsession with him."

After giving her friend a disbelieving look, only to realise it was the truth, Beth threw back her head and laughed loudly. It was such a ridiculous thing and she had no issues choosing to keep her mouth closed and not tell Bucky the message.

Another month passed and Beth heard nothing from Henry. He occasionally threw her the odd look, but she found it easier and easier to brush him off, until eventually, she was lulled in to a false sense of security. It was during a crisp December morning that she realised how stupid she had been to believe herself safe. After completing her dance class, she opted against being driven home by her friend, instead choosing to walk. It was only when she was halfway home that she realised she was being followed. She began picking up her pace, hearing the footsteps behind her doing so too. As she reached the park, she broke out into a sprint, but it was only seconds later that a body slammed in to her, throwing her to the ground. A pair of hands grasped the front of her coat and she was lifted off the floor to look into a pair of deep green eyes.

"I warned you to tell him to stay away." A familiar voice growled.

Henry. Clearly he'd had enough of seeing Bucky and had finally decided to act. Beth managed to raise her arm and punch him hard enough in the face to knock him off her. Not waiting for him to recover, she scrambled to her feet and raced towards her apartment block. She didn't get far when Henry crashed in to her once again. This time, she managed not to fall, but it didn't deter him. Before she had time to recover, something solid connected with her face and she yelped as she dropped to her knees, cradling her face in her hand. Above her, Henry sneered.

"Now, you little bitch, tell him to stay away or that face of yours won't stay pretty for long."

He left after giving her a hard kick to the stomach that had her gasping for air, and she could only lay there as he turned the corner, his hands in his pocket, whistling a tune she once enjoyed but would hate for the rest of her life. It took almost an hour to regain her breathing, pick herself up and walk home, but thankfully, her mother had only just returned home herself and hadn't had time to worry about her whereabouts. Instead, she had something more disturbing to worry about and as she saw her daughter's face, the grocery bag she had been holding dropped to the floor. Steve came out of the apartment to investigate the source of the crash and his eyes widened at the state of his sister.

"What happened to you!?" Sarah asked as she bundled the sniffling twelve year old in to the living room.

"I was on my way home and a boy ran into me. I fell face first on to the floor." She replied, wincing as Steve pressed an ice pack to the injury.

Steve and Sarah shared a look over her head, neither one believing the story when the mark on her face was clearly fist-shaped, but neither pressed her. They both knew that like Steve, she would only tell them the full story if and when she was ready to. Once they patched her up, Sarah made her way to the kitchen to make some cocoa and Beth moved in to the hallway to call Bucky. As much as she didn't want to, she knew now that Henry was serious about his threat and though she didn't care what he did to her, she wasn't about to put Bucky in harm's way. When he came to the phone, she took a deep breath to steady herself before speaking, hoping her voice didn't tremble as much as she thought it did.

"I don't want you walking me to school or walking me home from there anymore." She said, her eyes filling with tears.

"Why not Bethie? Is everything okay?" he asked, hearing the tremor in her voice that she tried to hide.

"I'm okay, I just want to walk with my friends from now on."

Bucky frowned. He knew that her friends either lived the opposite direction or were driven to and from school, so her words puzzled him. Like Steve and Sarah, he decided it best not to question her further and went for another tactic; speaking to Steve.

"Okay, well if that's truly what you want, I won't come any more. Can I talk to Steve before you hang up please? I need to discuss a school project with him"

Knowing full well he was lying and actually wanted to find out the real reason why she had called, she called out to Steve and handed him the receiver without another word to was about to hide in the bathroom so she could listen in on them when Sarah called her through to drink her cocoa, ruining that plan. Still, she wasn't too worried as Steve didn't know the real reason either. Unfortunately, she forgot about how good he and Bucky were at putting two and two together. Steve waited until she was out of earshot before he asked Bucky what she'd said to him. Bucky relayed her message and he frowned.

"I think someone beat her up Buck. She came home with a bust lip and bruised ribs, claiming someone ran into her. This doesn't feel right."

"I agree with you. Do you think it could be one of those punks at her school? The boys that seem to think I'm stealing their girls?"

The thought made Steve so angry he knew the phone would have been crushed if it was made of a weaker substance.

"Seems the most logical explanation. I don't want to risk you going there again though if it is or they might hurt her again. I'll collect her from now on."

Bucky agreed, though he didn't want to, and Steve ended the call. When he returned to the living room, he gave his sister a look that said he wanted the truth, but she simply returned with one of her own that told him there was no way she was doing that and he sighed in defeat.

...

Sarah allowed Beth to stay at home the following day, but Steve still made his way to the school anyway, calling out to Beth's friend Mary as she was about to step in to the gate

"Hey Steve! Where's Beth?" she asked.

Steve explained what happened the day before and Mary gaped up at him in disbelief.

"I can't believe he went through with it! On the first day of term, Henry told her to tell Bucky to stay away as he was jealous that his girlfriend fancied him, but she ignored him. I'll bet you all the money I have that he did it!"

Thanking her, Steve continued on to the high school and when he said the name to Bucky, the other teenager's eyes darkened.

"Oh yeah, I know the guy."

That afternoon, Harry Bennet discovered that while pissing off Bucky Barnes was generally a bad idea, pissing off Bucky Barnes by hurting Beth Rogers was a death sentence. Steve watched on as Bucky's fist repeatedly met Henry's skin, eager to step in as it was his sister that had been hurt, but he held back, understanding that this fight was Bucky's. When they arrived at the Roger's apartment later that evening, Bucky marched straight to Beth's room after saying a quick hello to Sarah. Steve and Sarah never did find out what was said between the pair that day, but they did know one thing; the following morning Bucky continued taking her to and collecting her from school, and Beth never again tried to stop him.


	4. Shall We Dance?

_Thank you all once again for your follows, faves and reviews!_

 _So, in this latest instalment we will see some character development between Beth and Bucky as well as see a bit more of Sarah Rogers. Enjoy!_

 ** _June 12th, 1940. Brooklyn, New York._**

Steve smirked at Beth as she hopped restlessly from one foot to the other. Seeing it, she elbowed him none-too-gently in the side and he chuckled even as he rubbed his ribs.

"Enough you two" their mother called from the apartment, knowing that they'd start a brawl if left to continue.

The pair grinned at each other before returning to watch out for their friend's car. It had been almost a year since Bucky moved to the countryside to live with his aunt and uncle on their farm. The plan was for him to inherit it, but Bucky declared that he wasn't interested and was coming home instead. Steve couldn't wait to have his friend back for more company. Beth just couldn't wait to see him full stop. She had a number of friends at school, but as with Steve, Bucky was her truest friend and they missed him dearly. Finally, the sound of a car engine filtered through the air and the siblings almost knocked each other down the stairs in their scramble to greet him as the car drew to a stop. Steve was the first to reach the car, dragging a laughing Bucky into a hug. Beth wasn't far behind, though she had a momentary pause when she set eyes on him.

' _Was he always so...handsome?'_ The nineteen year old thought to herself as she took in his broad shoulders and tanned arms.

She'd always known that he was attractive- her friends had pointed it out a number of times to her chagrin, but to her, he'd always just been Bucky. Now, however, the way his face lit up in joy as he looked over to her sent her heart into a rapid staccato. Bucky de-tangled himself from Steve and within two strides, Beth was in his arms, her head pressed against his chest as he tucked her neatly under his chin.

"Hey Bethie." He whispered, making her smile against him.

His familiar scent washed over her and she buried her face further into his chest, her heart swelling with emotion as she realised just how much she'd missed him. Above her, Bucky rested his cheek against her hair and inhaled deeply. The soft scent of vanilla he would only ever associate with her invaded his nose and his arms unconsciously tightened. They stayed in the embrace until Steve gave a small cough, forcing them apart. To Bucky's surprise, Beth had a blush spreading across her face, and she turned around to hide it from him. He glanced over at his best friend to see the smaller man giving them both a curious look. Rather than investigate, Bucky returned to Steve's side and flung an arm round his shoulder.

"I think we need to celebrate my return! Plus, we need to get Steve a girlfriend as I bet he hasn't tried any of the things I said to do!"

Steve bowed his head in shame and when she saw the teasing glint in Bucky's eyes, Beth nudged him in the stomach, making him grunt. The action made Steve let out a small laugh as Bucky rubbed his stomach.

"Watch out, Buck. Your absence has turned her violent." he warned.

Beth rolled her eyes before sticking her tongue out at her older brother, making him laugh once more. A noise from above had all three turning to see Sarah Rogers smiling down at them, arms outstretched towards Bucky, who wasted no time running to greet her. He grinned as she kissed his cheek and wrapped her arms round him.

"Hi Mrs Rogers." he said, his eyes glowing warmly.

She smiled back, motherly love shining from her eyes. Though he wasn't biologically hers, she considered him her son as much as she did Steve. When he released her to return to the siblings, she beamed at the trio. She knew her children missed Bucky terribly, despite trying to occupy themselves with other people and activities.

"Would you like to come in for a coffee?" she asked.

Bucky gave her an appreciative smile but shook his head.

"I'd love to, but I just asked these two if they want to come dancing with me and they agreed."

Sarah turned an amused glance towards her children, seeing Steve look horrified at the thought whilst Beth looked as though she was torn between laughing and hitting Bucky again.

"I see. Well then, have fun, just not too much okay?" she said with a laugh, knowing full well Bucky was prone to wandering off with whatever girl he'd danced the night away with and leaving Steve and Beth to fend for themselves.

The moment she was out of sight, Steve turned on Bucky.

"Why would you say that? Now we have to go!"

Bucky laughed loudly, ruffling Steve's hair.

"Aww, come on Steve, it might be fun this time!" Bucky argued.

Beth watched the pair fondly, shaking her head at their banter. She wasn't as opposed to dancing as Steve, in fact she rather enjoyed it. The only trouble she had was finding someone to dance with who wasn't using it as an excuse to take her home with them, and eventually, she gave up going altogether. The idea of partnering with Bucky made her stomach flutter and she had to fight another blush as she pictured his arms wrapped round her waist as he led her round the dance floor. _'Knock it off Beth, he's virtually your brother!'_ She mentally berated, confused about the sudden emotions she was feeling towards the young man. _'Still'_ , she though as he and Steve grinned at each other, ' _maybe it couldn't hurt to ask for one dance'_. So wrapped up in her thoughts about whether to ask him to dance with her, she failed to notice when Bucky slid up to her.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked.

Letting out a squeak of surprise, she whipped her head round to look at him.

"It's nothing. I was just thinking what to wear." She said.

"Ah, come on Beth; you'd be a knockout no matter what you wear." He claimed, failing to see how red her face turned.

Steve approached them, his perceptive eyes seeing the look on his sister's face. The inner big brother's voice in him didn't like it, arguing she was still too young for boys, and Steve was inclined to agree. It didn't matter that a number of her schoolmates were already married, some with children, his little sister was not on the market. Shaking his head, he made his way over to them.

"So, are we leaving?" he asked.

Beth gave him a wide eyed look.

"No! I need to get ready!" she cried and ran to the apartment, ignoring the exasperated look the two males shared.

Beth flung her wardrobe doors open, only to stand in front of her clothes with a crestfallen expression. Who was she kidding? She knew she didn't own anything that would make Bucky even want to dance with her, let alone knock him off his feet. A tap on the door made her jump. Hand over her heart when Sarah came in to the room holding a piece of material, she gasped.

"You scared me."

Her mother chuckled.

"I thought I'd you get ready and help you attract the attention of a certain handsome young man downstairs." She commented with a knowing smile.

Beth felt her face redden and tried to hide it by turning her attention to her wardrobe once more. She heard Sarah sink on to the bed and after a few moments of silence, Beth sighed.

"I don't know what's going on with me." she admitted, her voice sounding lost.

Sarah stood and placed a kiss on her temple.

"I know how you feel. I'm going to tell you something I've never said to you before. Your father and I knew each other a long time before we became sweethearts. He moved away and when he moved back, I couldn't believe how much he'd changed. Everything I already liked about him became amplified and suddenly, I realised that I wanted to be with him forever. It was scary; we'd been friends for so long and I was worried that one wrong decision could not only ruin any chance of love, but destroy our friendship."

"It worked out in the end though." Beth interrupted.

"Indeed it did. I will give you the same advice my mother gave me; take that chance. For all you know, the reason you've been friends so long is because God has already decided you are to be together and him being away was the time you both needed to realise it."

Beth sighed.

"There's just one problem mom. Bucky is Bucky. I don't think he's ever had a relationship that's lasted longer than a few weeks and he dances with a different girl every time he goes out."

"Maybe he just hasn't found the right partner" her mother argued.

Before Beth could reply, Sarah continued speaking.

"I know how worried you are, but now I'm going to give you my own piece of advice. Dance with anyone who asks but don't dance with Bucky. Seeing another man with his hands on you will either push him to act on his feelings for you or he truly won't mind and then you'll know where you stand. And yes, before you ask, that is exactly how I convinced your father that I was the one for him." she finished with a wink.

Beth couldn't help but laugh at the image of her mother ensnaring her father in such a way. As Sarah watched Beth's face light up, she mused, not for the first time, that the man she married would never hurt her as all she had to do was smile at them and they'd fall hopelessly in love with her all over again. In her heart, Sarah knew that man was Bucky. She'd seen the pair of them earlier and there was no mistaking the attraction between the two, however, she couldn't help but worry that by the time the man she already considered a son realised his feelings, it would be too late. So, she was going to do everything she could to help her daughter catch more than just his attention. She reached out for the fabric she'd placed on the bed and held it out to Beth.

"This was the dress I wore the day I kissed your father for the first time. I want you to wear it."

Beth didn't have time to respond as her mother left the room so she could change. When she came back in, she smiled warmly as Beth spun in front of the mirror. She smiled warmly and hugged her daughter.

"Go and have fun. The boys are waiting."

Beth found the 'boys' waiting outside where she left them and she blew a quick breath, glad she hadn't taken too long. Steve was the first to notice her and his jaw dropped, suddenly seeing his sister as a young woman for the first time. Even the big brother in him fell silent, sadly accepting she was no longer a little girl. Beside him, Bucky saw the expression on Steve's face and turned to tease him about staring at dames, only to find himself sucking in a breath as he laid eyes on Beth. Her dress was a deep blue that reached just above her knees and hugged her curves without being distasteful. She'd borrowed a pair of her mother's cherry red heels, and Bucky knew those legs would be haunting many of his dreams to come. For once, her hair was pinned up so her golden waves bounced around her face, emphasising her lips painted the same shade as her shoes. She came over to them, the smell of vanilla stronger than normal, telling Bucky she had used the perfume he'd bought her two for her eighteenth birthday. He moved to wrap his arm round her, but Steve beat him to it. Instead, he settled for linking arms with her as she dragged the pair of them down the street to their local dance hall.

The moment they arrived, every male pair of eyes fell on Beth and Bucky's jaw clenched at the number of appreciative glances she received. A pain in his palm had him looking down and he realised his fists were clenched. Confused about his reaction, he released his hands and he excused himself to go to the bathroom. Either oblivious or simply ignoring the men around her, Beth pushed through the crowd to the last empty table in the back of the room. She claimed it by pushing Steve down into one of the vacant seats and he gave her a look of appreciation. He knew that she was appointing him in charge of ensuring nobody stole their table, in turn meaning he didn't have to dance. She sat next to him, a grin on her face as Bucky slid up behind them and tapped their shoulders.

"Drink or dance first?" he asked.

Both siblings decided on drinks and Bucky disappeared into the crowd to get them. Within seconds, an attractive man strode over to the table and smiled flirtatiously at Beth.

"Would you like a dance?" he asked.

Beth returned his smile, but shook her head.

"I'm really sorry but we only just got here. Maybe later?" she replied.

Her answer surprised Steve and he fought to keep it off his face. As the man grinned and dipped his head before leaving, he leaned in closer to her.

"You never accept or partially accept an invite to dance."

Beth shrugged, smiling slightly as she watched Bucky narrowly avoid spilling their drinks over a woman as he tripped on the way back to them. She lowered her voice as he neared so he wouldn't overhear her.

"Maybe I've decided not to wait for the person I want to dance with to ask me."

Bucky finally returned to the table, cutting off any reply Steve had and placed their drinks down, giving his best friend a questioning glance.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine Buck."

Shrugging, Bucky drank from his beer and a few minutes later, accepted an offer to dance from the same woman he'd almost soaked. Beth watched him go and pushed down a wave of jealousy. Sipping from her own drink, she caught gazes with the man from earlier. Seeing her smile, he made his way over and offered her his arm. It turned out he wasn't so bad to dance with, though Beth had to stop him from stepping on her a few times as well as slap his hand away the two times he attempted to slide it lower than her waist. After he decided to move on to another woman, Beth returned to the table and Steve gave her a strange look.

"What?" she asked as she finished her drink.

"Who is it you're waiting for Beth?" he asked.

Beth placed the glass on the table but before she could speak, Bucky dropped down in the vacant seat next to her. He grinned at Steve, however his smile fell slightly as he turned to Beth.

"Have fun dancing?" he asked, his words sounding forced.

"Not really. He kept trying to step on my feet."

Bucky sniggered, a sense of relief filling him at her words. He couldn't explain why, surely he should be happy to see her have fun?

"Well, maybe you need to find someone who knows what they're doing" he commented.

She felt one of her eyebrows raise in response, and saw Steve's expression mirrored her own. ' _Is he...jealous?'_ she mused to herself. Her mother's words rang through her mind and she gave Bucky a flirtatious smile.

"You're right." she said, standing up.

Bucky began to stand with her, thinking she was about to ask him to dance, only to sit back down in disbelief when she sauntered over to anther man at the bar, moving to the dance floor with him seconds later. His jaw clenched again as the man placed his hands on her waist and he had to fight not to go and rip them apart. ' _God, what is happening to me?'_ he thought. Beside him, Steve realised their mother must have also seen Beth's changing feelings towards Bucky and likely had something to do with Beth's behaviour. Bucky stood to dance again with the woman from earlier, but as the evening went on, Steve noticed that the older man's gaze barely strayed from Beth. He fought a grin as he realised that it seemed Beth wasn't the only one with changed emotions, but she was the only one aware or willing to accept it. Sipping his own beer, he watched his sister as she danced with a third man, frowning when he saw her pull his hand away from her buttock.

As Beth danced, she never noticed the pairs of eyes watching her, one with amusement, the other with increasing anger as he saw her partner grow more and more hands on towards her the more he drank. Eventually, Beth found herself needing a drink and a break from him. She called out over the music to tell her partner, but as she tried to move away, his grip tightened. She tugged her arm, trying to break his grasp, but he pulled her closer to him.

"Hey sweetheart, where ya going?" he asked, voice slurring from the alcohol.

"I said I need a drink." She replied.

"Aww, gimmie a smooch first!" he shouted, pulling her closer to him.

She relaxed in his grip, allowing him to come close enough for her to swing her knee up and slam it into his groin. Two things happened; he fell to the floor with a loud yell of pain and someone slid up behind her, ushering her back to the table where Steve was watching, eyes wide.

"Are you okay?" He asked her as she sat next to him.

She nodded and watched as the man was thrown out of the club by a group of males that had witnessed the whole thing. One waved to her to let her know it was safe and she sent them all a grateful smile, her lips trembling. All she wanted to do now was go home. She wrapped her arms around herself and Steve put a hand on her shoulder. Bucky joined them with a glass of water in hand, his eyes shining with worry.

"Sorry I rushed off, I wanted to get you this. Are you okay Bethie?"

She took the water and gave a shaky smile to let him know she was fine, but he didn't miss the sheen of water in her eyes. She sighed sadly and placed the glass back on the table.

"I just wanted to dance with someone special." She admitted.

Her eyes made contact with Bucky's and he suddenly realised she'd only been dancing with the men to make him jealous. Smiling warmly at her and wanting to kick himself, he stood and offered her his hand. She took it and he pulled her gently to her feet, swaying her in time with the ballad playing in the background. As they danced, she eventually relaxed in his arms, her head resting on his chest. She felt his cheek against her hair and smiled, her arms tightening round him. As the song finished, making way for a faster paced tune, they separated.

"Feel better?" Bucky asked her softly.

She nodded and he looked down at her, his eyes resting on her lips. As if an invisible force was pushing his head down, he began to lower his face to hers until their breath began to mingle. The moment was interrupted by the woman held been dancing with all night latching on to Bucky's arm, asking him to dance again. For the first time in his life, Bucky found himself wanting nothing more than to tell her to leave so he could finish what he was about to start with Beth. Before he could act on his urge, Beth stepped away from him with a sad smile.

"You should dance with her. I think Steve's about ready to head off soon anyway and I'm pretty tired. Don't let us spoil your night."

She reached up on tiptoes and her lips pressed against his cheek fleetingly before she disappeared too fast for him to stop her and tell her she was the only thing not spoiling his night. By the time he made his way through the crowd, the table was empty, Steve and Beth gone.


	5. Worry

_Me again! Just to say thank you once again for the reviews, follows and favourites! Not much to say regarding this chapter except that it is the precursor to an emotional one! Without further adieu, here's the next chapter._

 _ **June 1**_ _ **st**_ _ **, 1941. Brooklyn, New York**_

It was the coughing that woke her up. It started soft and quiet, until eventually it filtered into Beth's dream. Eyes flickering open, she let out a deep sigh and rolled in the bed to wake Steve and give him his medication, only to find his bed empty, the covers thrown aside. Frowning, she stood and walked into the hall, throwing on her dressing gown as she followed the coughing, expecting to find Steve in the kitchen to get a drink as he usually did when his asthma was bad. It wasn't until she found herself standing in the doorway of her mother's bedroom, watching as Steve pressed a cold compress to Sarah Roger's grey, clammy skin, that she realised something was very, _very_ wrong. Sensing her behind him, Steve turned to face her, a grim worry in his face that had her stepping forward to grasp her mother's hand. She'd been sick with a chest infection for two weeks, but the past few days she had been getting better. Beth wanted to ignore the feeling of dread in her stomach, but found that the more she tried to push it away, the more violently it came back.

"She was okay earlier." She murmured, watching Sarah's expression change to one of pain even as she slept.

"I know. I heard her start coughing again about two hours ago. I was still up finishing one of my drawings when it started"

Beth frowned, and he knew she wanted to say something about not waking her up, but instead, she pursed her lips and pressed a hand to their mother's head.

"She's red hot." She said, voice trembling as she pulled her hand away.

"I know. I've been trying to cool her for a while but it isn't working."

Steve's voice sounded helpless and tears threatened to push through Beth's eyelids, but she forced them back. She thought back to the many times she and her mother had nursed a sick Steve, but even then she couldn't remember a time he had such a high temperature. Knowing it wouldn't be long before it killed her, Beth wracked her mind for any ideas, until she suddenly had a flicker of a memory from when she was very small.

"Steve, I need you to run the bath. Don't let the water get too hot. It needs to be as lukewarm as possible."

She could have sang when Steve left to do as told without any questions, but she turned to face her mother once more, eyes shining with fear and worry. Sarah Rogers was never sick. She was the rock in the family. When Steve returned, she instructed him to help pick Sarah up off the bed and though it was a struggle, the pair successfully carried her through to the bathroom and lay her down in the cool water. Within seconds, Sarah began shivering violently, and Beth had to hold Steve back to stop him from pulling her out.

"Don't. Shivering means the fever is breaking."

Nodding, Steve stepped back, but she could see he was more like a caged animal, ready to spring to action at a second's notice. It took a few more moments, but Sarah suddenly took in a large gasp of air, her eyes flying open. Beth gave a deep sigh of relief, crouching down to help Sarah sit up.

"Why am I in the bath?" she asked, teeth chattering.

"You had a fever mom and we couldn't get it down quickly enough."

Despite the shivering and the fact she felt more sick than she'd ever been in her life, Sarah smiled proudly at her daughter and reached up to cup her cheek.

"Thank you sweetheart. You too Steve." She said as her son crouched down next to Beth.

He gave her a tiny smile, his eyes still shining, and between them, the siblings managed to pull her back out of the water and into her room. Steve held Sarah steady whilst Beth dressed her in a dry nightdress and the pair carefully laid her back in her bed. She fell into a sleep seconds later, but within minutes, the coughing returned. Steve watched Beth as she sat on the bed and reached to touch her shoulder.

"Go back to bed. I'll keep an eye on her."

The only response he got was a shake of the younger woman's head, her eyes turning to rock hard determination. Sighing, Steve went into the kitchen and carried two dining chairs into the room with him. He placed them either side of the bed before settling in to his own with a heavy sigh. He knew it was going to be a long night.

When Bucky arrived at the Rogers house the next morning, he raised a surprised eyebrow to see the milk and paper sitting on the doorstep. He checked his watch again, making sure he had the time right. 9am, the time he usually arrived to walk Beth to work. Reaching the door, he was even more surprised to find it locked. He wasted no time in letting himself in with the spare key they kept under a brick by the front door and moved through the apartment until he found the family in Sarah's room. He immediately knew something was wrong when he saw the three of them still sleeping, Steve with his head dropped on his chest, one hand holding Sarah's left hand whilst Beth lay with her head resting on the bed, her hand grasping Sarah's other hand. Sarah herself was sleeping, but with each inhale, her chest rattled. Frowning, Bucky made his way back to the front door, bringing in the milk and paper before he then turned to the phone and called for the doctor. He was just placing the receiver back on the stand when a dishevelled Steve walked into the room, rubbing at the back of his neck.

"Hey, It thought I hear your voice," The younger man greeted. "Who were you talking with?"

"I called for a doctor to come and see your mom. Don't worry, I'll pay for it." He said when he saw the panic on Steve's face, knowing the other man could never afford the visit.

Breathing a soft sigh of thanks, he threw his arms briefly round his friend.

"Thank you Buck"

Bucky clapped him on the back before instructing him to have a shower and go to bed. As soon as Steve had left the room, the older man picked up the phone once more to inform his and Beth's workplace that they wouldn't be in and to do the same for Steve's school. When Steve didn't return, Bucky looked in to the room he shared with Beth to see Steve already passed out. He chuckled before moving to Sarah's room. Beth hadn't moved and after ensuring she was in a deep enough sleep, Bucky slipped one arm under her legs, the other across her back and lifted her into his arms, carrying her to her room to place her gently on the bed. He gazed softly at her as she snuggled into her pillow and placed a blanket over her before waiting for the doctor.

The doctor arrived two hours later and the door knocking woke both siblings. As Steve stumbled out of bed, Beth gazed confusedly round the room, wandering how she had made it to her bed when she was in her mom's room last she checked. Remembering her mom, she also flew out of bed, to collide with Bucky as she left her room. He steadied her and gave her a small smile.

"You really need to stop doing that Bethie or I'll start thinking you do it on purpose." He joked, hoping to ease her spirit.

It worked and she gave him a playful punch to the shoulder, a grin on her face.

"The only thing that'll think that is your big ego."

Bucky snorted in amusement and pulled her into a hug as he had done with Steve earlier that day. She returned it, tears burning in her eyes once more. When he let go, she kissed his cheek before moving towards Sarah's room to await the doctor's diagnosis.


	6. Losing is Never Easy

_And I'm back- sorry for the delay! Once again thank you for the reviews and adds!_

 _..._

 _June 4_ _th_ _, 1941. Brooklyn, New York City_

Tuberculosis.

Three days after the diagnosis, Beth's head and heart were still spinning and every breath she took felt like she was breathing underwater. The doctor had told them with a sympathetic look that the illness was just too advanced for him to do anything and all they could do was make sure she was as comfortable as could be as they said their goodbyes. Steve had locked himself away for almost two days and Beth had cried herself hoarse the first day. The only thing she was grateful for was that apart from one afternoon, Sarah had slept through the whole ordeal, a blessing as it would have broken her to see her children falling apart. Even now as Beth brushed Sarah's hair, the other woman didn't stir.

Bucky, as always, had been their rock through the days. The moment the word left the doctor's lips, he had Beth in his arms and held her tight as she broke down into heavy sobs. Only once she had stopped did he then hug Steve, though Steve had pulled away quickly and disappeared into their bedroom. After that, Bucky had taken charge, calling Beth's workplace and Steve's school to arrange for both to be granted indefinite leave while their mother was sick and looked after Sarah the first day while both siblings shut themselves away. Even after Beth had returned to the room to continue looking after Sarah, he returned each day to ensure they were both eating as well as sitting with Sarah during the afternoon to let the pair sleep. If Beth hadn't admitted to herself months ago that she was hopelessly in love with him, watching him hum one of Sarah's favourite songs after the sickly woman woke up coughing up blood the first night would have been the moment she had. Bucky glanced over his shoulder when he sensed someone there and she raised a hand in greeting.

"I'll take over. You should get home. I'm sure a number of your dancing partners are looking for you." She said, her voice teasing even as her heart clenched painfully at the knowledge her statement was likely to be true.

He gave her a wry grin, but shook his head as he stood and stretched his back.

"I doubt they are. To be honest I haven't been for a while so they've probably all moved on. I blame you for being such a good dance partner; everyone else pales in comparison" he joked with a small wink.

She gave a weak smile as her heart fluttered and he bent to kiss her cheek, his cologne invading her senses, giving her a sense of comfort she would only ever associate with him. As he brushed past her, his hand touched hers and for a blissful moment, their fingers intertwined, his hand squeezing hers reassuringly.

"I'll be back in the morning, okay?

She nodded, her throat too thick with emotion to speak. With one last squeeze of her hand, he made his way out of the house after stopping to say goodbye to Steve.

…

Sarah died in the early hours of the following morning. Beth knew it was time when her mother's eyes opened and she smiled up at her daughter with a clarity that had been missing the past week.

"Hello baby girl. Where's Steve?" she asked.

Swallowing, Beth stuck her head out of the door and beckoned Steve when he looked up from the picture he was drawing. He saw the sorrow in her eyes and expected the worst, only to find himself confused when he saw Sarah smiling at him from the bed. He glanced over at Beth, who only shook her head, hand rubbing furiously at her eyes to stop her tears.

"My dear, sweet Steve and Beth" Sarah said as each of her children took their seat next to her and took hold of one of her hands as they had done every night so far.

"You two need to be there for each other. You need to protect each other and make sure that you stay strong for me. I love you both so much it physically hurts. You two are what made my life so special and I know that you, my babies, are both destined for great things."

As she finished speaking, her eyes fluttered shut and within seconds, she took her final breath, her hands falling limp. Thick, hot tears streamed silently down Beth's face as she leaned forward and kissed her mother's cheek. She turned to look at Steve and saw he was holding back tears of his own. Knowing he wouldn't let them fall with her in the room, and unable to stay any longer, she hurried out into the hallway, practically running to pick up the phone. She prayed there would be an answer at the other end as she heard her brothers sobs filter through from the bedroom. The phone seemed to ring on and on and she was at the point of breaking into hysterics when it was finally answered.

"Hello?" came the voice rough and thick with sleep.

"Bucky" she whimpered, unable to stop her tears at the sound of his voice.

"I'm on my way" was all he said and the line fell dead.

The fact he was there within ten minutes told her he'd broken a number of laws to get to them. He didn't even shut the door behind him, more focused on the fact that Beth was standing in the hall with the phone still in her hand. As gently as he could, he took the phone from her and placed it on the cradle before his arms locked round her as she continued to cry silently against him. He waited until she pulled away from him before he made his way to Steve. The younger man was still sitting in his chair, and Bucky could see that though he was no longer crying, he had been, his eyes red and swollen, fresh tears staining his cheeks. Bucky grasped his shoulder and Steve took a steady breath.

"It's not fair" was all Steve said.

"I know buddy. I know." Bucky reassured.

Beth joined them and stood next to Steve, her arms round his shoulders. They remained like that for another hour before Steve stood and kissed Sarah's forehead.

"I'm calling the doctor." He declared and strode out of the room.

….

The funeral took place two days later. Steve left for the cemetery before Bucky arrived and Beth hurried out after him, sending Bucky a silent apology for them not being there. When they returned, Bucky was waiting for them at the bottom of the apartment stairs. Without saying a word, he clapped Steve's shoulder and gave Beth a hug. Beth wanted to smile at Bucky's offer to stay with them, but her heart was too heavy to pull her lips up. Instead, she watched as Steve declined the offer and Bucky grasped his shoulder once more.

"I'm with you pal, to the end of the line."

Steve gave Bucky a soft smile before nodding and entering the apartment. Beth went to follow but Bucky's hand on her arm stopped her.

"I mean it you know? I'm with you both. I'm with you to eternity."

Unable to hold herself back, Beth threw her arms round his neck and drew him close to her.

"Thank you Bucky." She whispered in his ear.

She felt him press a kiss to the side of her head.

"Any time, Bethie."


	7. People Grieve in Different Ways

_Oh my God I can't even begin to express the love I felt reading the last reviews from you all! I really wasn't sure how people would take Beth, or whether they would accept her as I wasn't sure if she was a Mary-Sue or not! I want to especially thank Tracy 137 and Guest Fan for your beautiful reviews that both brought me to tears as well as reassured me that my writing has definitely improved since I took a hiatus from writing about 18 months ago. Thank you both._

 _As always, a thank you to all who reviewed and favourited the story, I love you all._

 _..._

November 12th 1941. Brooklyn, New York

The past few months had been hard for the Roger's siblings. After their mother's funeral, Steve all but closed himself off from the world; withdrawing from art school and his work, leaving Beth the only breadwinner of the family. Beth, understanding her brother was grieving differently to her, ploughed on and took up a second job, but being a woman, had a lower wage than Steve had been getting. As a result, though food was still ending up on the kitchen table, only Steve was still eating the same amounts he had before their mother passed away. So absorbed in his grief, he failed to notice the gaunt expression on Beth's face as the lack of food started affecting her, but she didn't let it show, knowing her sickly brother needed the nutrition more than she ever would.

For three months it continued, with Beth losing more and more weight, able to hide it from Steve by applying make up to hide the sickliness of her face and only wearing bulky clothes when he was around so he wouldn't see the bones that were beginning to protrude unhealthily from her tight skin. She ignored the worried looks from her friends, and as autumn began, she breathed a sigh of relief, able to blame the cold for the extra clothing. One person wasn't so blind to her condition, but though he kept one eye on her, Bucky's attention was more focussed on Steve's isolation, causing him to see just how bad she truly was. it wasn't until they entered September that he really started to take notice of the way Beth's cardigan seemed to engulf her where before, it fit nicely, or the few times he caught her stomach growling only for her to shrug and say she would eat soon. I wasn't until she stopped hugging him goodbye that he truly grew concerned for her, finally taking his focus off Steve to really take note of the younger sibling. The first evening, he followed her to her room and as she slid off her cardigan, he fought to suppress a gasp of shock. She was far too thin. He tried to speak to Steve, only for the older Rogers to shrug him off, stating they'd both cut back on food to save money. Bucky wasn't reassured; what he'd seen went far beyond cutting back a little on food.

"Beth, are you okay?" he asked her one day towards the end of September after watching her stand up, only to reach out for the sofa to balance herself a second later.

She immediately smiled at him and nodded, though he didn't miss the way her eyes had darkened as she tried to refocus herself.

"I'm fine Bucky, I just haven't been sleeping well lately that's all." She reassured before hurrying out of the room.

Bucky gazed after her worriedly, and when he glanced over at Steve, he felt relieved to see that for the first time in months, the other man also had a frown on his face, replacing the usual blank look he'd been sporting.

"You're finally noticing too, huh?" Bucky asked, his voice soft, but Steve didn't fail to notice the tint of anger there.

"She said she's just tired, Buck." He replied nonchalantly, before standing and moving to his room before Bucky could reply.

Normally, Bucky would have let him go, but the thread of patience finally snapped and he stomped off after his best friend, shutting the door behind him.

In the kitchen, Beth heard their words and her fist clenched as rage washed over her. She wasn't sure who she was most angry at; herself for getting to that state, Bucky for noticing, or Steve for not caring. All she knew was that she felt both furious and helpless. As tears began welling in her eyes, she felt her head begin to spin violently, her stomach lurching at the same time. She managed to keep the contents of her stomach down, however, the effort to do so resulted in her head spinning further, until her knees buckled. She felt herself drop, too weak to notice the corner of the table in front of her. With a sickening crack, her head collided with the wood, instantly sending her into unconsciousness. She crumpled to the floor, blood slowly trickling down her head on to the white tiles, the sound totally unnoticed by the two arguing men in the other room.

...

"You know, you're a real punk, you know that?" Bucky hissed, keeping his voice low so Beth wouldn't hear.

Steve shrugged and Bucky lunged for him, barely refraining from slamming him against the wall. Instead, he shook the smaller man a few times.

"I've had enough Steve! I know your mom died, but you have got to move on and get back to reality! Beth has done so much for you the past few months and what have you done in return? Nothing but wallow in your own self pity! She is literally wasting away out there, but you couldn't give a crap!"

Steve's expression turned to guilt and Bucky sighed,letting him go. He ran a shaking hand through his hair to calm himself as Steve sat back on his bed. Seeing he wasn't going to say anything, Bucky let out a huff and moved back to the door, stopping only to say one last thing over his shoulder.

"She's not eating Steve. I think she's going without food so you an keep your health up. You may not care, but I will say this. If you don't step up and start being her brother again, she **will** end up joining your folks."

As Steve's bedroom door clicked shut, behind him, Bucky glanced round the room and frowned, finding it strange that Beth hadn't returned to the room. Normally, he would assume she was making coffee, however, she would have guessed the pair of them were arguing and wouldn't have done so. Thinking back on the state she was in earlier, he moved to the other room, calling out to her as he approached.

"Bethie, you okay kiddo?" he asked.

The silence that followed had him launching himself to the door. His foot slipped on something wet as he stood on the tiles and he crashed to the floor with a grunt. He lifted his hand, heart jumping in to his throat to see it slicked red with blood, not the water he was expecting. He glanced up, and all colour drained from his face to see Beth's limp form on the ground in front of him.

"Shit! STEVE, CALL AN AMBULANCE!" he roared as he shuffled to her pulling her into his arms to try and find the source of the bleeding and stop it.

"Come on Beth, wake up sweetheart." He pleaded, heart in his mouth as he tried to rouse the woman that felt too light in his arms, her skin a sickly shade of grey that had him blinking back tears.

Hearing Bucky's cry, Steve darted from his room and froze in the doorway at the sight of his baby sister in Bucky's arms, the blood now turning his shirt a deep crimson that matched the floor and her hair. His mind immediately blanked, with one thought running through it ' _This is your fault.'_ Bucky looked up and from the look on the smaller man's face, knew exactly what he was thinking. He wasn't about to let him do it though, not until Beth was in the hospital.

"STEVE! AMBULANCE, NOW!" he yelled again.

The shout broke Steve from his thoughts and he rushed to the phone. Once the call was made he came back to the kitchen to see Bucky had lifted Beth from the floor and was carrying her to the living room. Knowing what he was about to do, Steve rushed ahead of him and cleared the table so Beth could be laid down on it. As Bucky took off to the kitchen once more, Steve reached down to brush her hair from her face, his eyes misting over as she let out a soft moan.

"I'm so sorry Beth." He whispered, swallowing down the lump in his throat.

Bucky came back in, arms loaded with tea towels. He thrust a handful at Steve.

"We need to stop the bleeding."

The pair worked together to press the pieces of fabric to the gash Bucky found in the back of her head. When Steve asked, Bucky shrugged and guessed that she must have split the skin open when her skull met the floor tiles. It wasn't long before Beth was being loaded into an ambulance, with Steve jumping in after her. Bucky followed closely behind in his car, barely able to breath the whole way there.

...

When Beth woke, the first thing she noticed was the throbbing in her head as she tried to move.

"Ow." She grumbled, her voice rough with sleep.

"Beth?"

She cracked open an eye and saw Steve hovering next to her bed, one arm tentatively reached out to her as if he was afraid she would reject his touch. Knowing he wouldn't come closer unless she initiated it, she reached out for him and took his hand. With a sigh of relief, he gripped her tighter as he sank down onto the bed, eyes filled with concern.

"Where am I?" she asked, noticing for the first time that she wasn't at home.

"You're in the hospital." He replied, voice unable to speak any more words.

"How?" she asked again.

The angered voice that cut over any reply Steve had immediately brought tears to her eyes.

"You pushed yourself too far, let yourself get too malnourished and passed out. Gave yourself a good whack on the head and gave us a good heart attack thinking you were going to die. That's how."

Beth looked over at Bucky who had clearly just entered the room. He looked the most dishevelled she'd ever seen him; his hair messy as if he'd been constantly running his hands through it, his clothes creased. His eyes flashed in both anger and disappointment and seeing it aimed at her made her eyes sting. She dropped her head, hot tears running down her face. She heard clothes shuffling and a warm hand cupped her chin, forcing her to look up and meet Bucky's gaze. The look her gave her was indescribable, but the one thing she definitely felt from him was fear; he'd genuinely been scared that they would lose her. Without saying a word, his eyes softened and he leaned forward to press a kiss on her cheek.

"Don't ever scare us like that again."

"I won't" she whispered and he let her go to sit back in one of the chairs propped next to the bed.

Beth turned her attention back to Steve and saw he had a look of guilt on his face.

"Steve…"

"Don't." He interrupted. "This is my fault. If I hadn't left my job, you would have been okay."

"Please, Steve. I chose to do it. It isn't your fault."

He didn't reply, simply stood and moved over to her, wrapping her in his arms.

"I'm going back to work tomorrow. No more wallowing. No more neglecting you. You're all I have left and I nearly lost you. It's not happening again, I promise."

Beth found herself unable to reply, her tears coming too thick and fast to do anything but press tighter in his shoulder as silent sobs tore through her body. A second pair of arms wrapped round her other side and the trio sat there for a long time, drawing comfort from each other as finally, they all allowed the grief for losing Sarah and worry for Beth come through. When they finally separated, it felt as though a large weight had been lifted from them all. As Beth grasped a hand from each of them, both hers and Steve's eyes hardened in determination. Bucky watched them and felt a smile tug on his face. Though he'd never been so scared or worried about the pair he considered family before, he knew it would never happen again. He knew they'd be okay.

 _' I_ _just wish it had taken something a little bit less extreme than Beth trying to cave her head in for_ _them to finally snap out of it.'_ He thought to himself as he rolled his eyes at the pair of idiots he loved more than anything else. He sat down in the chair beside her and was about to reach for her hand when the door opened and in stepped a tall blonde man.

"Beth, what happened?" he asked as he made his way to her and to Bucky's horror, kissed her.

"Who..?" he found himself asking.

"Oh, Bucky, Steve, this is Mark. I met him at work a few months ago and we've been courting since. I haven't really spoken to you two enough to tell you"

Both men frowned at her, but quickly looked away with guilty expressions, knowing it was their own faults that they didn't know. As Beth smiled warmly at Mark, Steve and Bucky looked at each other,, both with eyebrows raised.

" _This could get interesting."_ They simultaneously thought, though each for very different reasons.

For Bucky, it would be interesting seeing Beth juggle a fella on top of everything else. For Steve, it would be interesting seeing how much Bucky's protective nature would shine through as time passed.


	8. Officially at War

_**December 7**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 1941. Brooklyn, New York City**_

Steve and Beth were enjoying a quiet breakfast when Bucky burst through the door. Breathing heavily, his hair out of place from running, he dropped a newspaper on the table and sank down on one of the empty chairs. Beth immediately jumped up and hurried to the sink, cheeks dimpling at the appreciative look Bucky gave her as she handed him a glass of water. She moved back over to the table and glanced over Steve's shoulder, gasping at the headline sprawled across the front page.

" **Bombing at Pearl Harbour. USA is officially at war!"**

At once, her breathing stopped and she felt an icy hand clamp down on her heart. She looked over at the two men in the room with her, fear immediately overwhelming her. She'd heard the stories; thousands of men from Europe were already dead, with more being forced to join the fight every day. She knew her brother, knew he would sign up immediately. Thankfully, she suspected he would be rejected, but the fear only increased as her eyes drifted to Bucky. He was the perfect person for war; he was strong, fast and quick thinking. She had no issues picturing him as a decorated officer, but the image kept shattering itself, replaced with a vision of him lying in the middle of a war-torn battlefield, his eyes clouded with the haze of death.

Unable to stay in the same room as them any longer, she hurried to her bedroom, wrapping her arms round herself as she struggled to keep her breathing steady. Tears clouded her vision and she blinked them back, determined not to let them fall. She knew she was on the verge of a panic attack, but couldn't do anything about it, the images continuing to play over in her mind. All this time, she'd hoped that the war wouldn't make it this far, but now it was here. She wished their mother was still around. Sarah would have known what to say or do, but Beth was clueless. She sank to the floor as the tears finally began to fall, the sorrow of losing her mother and the prospect of losing her brother and best friend becoming too much.

She didn't notice anyone come in to the room until a pair of arms slid round her from behind, a small chin propped on her shoulder. She turned and wrapped her arms round him, burying her head in his neck and drawing in his usual scent of paint.

"It'll be okay." Her brother soothed, rubbing her back.

"How can you say that? It won't be long before you and Bucky enlist. I know it." She mumbled into his shirt.

He didn't reply, but she felt the soft sigh against her skin. Steve glanced up and saw Bucky leaning against the doorframe, a look of sympathy on his face. He shared a look with Steve before joining the pair of them, wrapping his arms round both Rogers'.

The trio stayed in the embrace for what felt like hours, until a knock at the door pulled them apart. Steve went to answer the door, leaving Bucky with Beth still wrapped up in his arms, her head rested against his chest.

"I promise I'll look after him." He said to Beth, his voice solemn.

He felt her nod against him before she pulled away to look him squarely in the eye.

"You'd best look after yourself too, Buck. It'll destroy me if anything happens to either of you."

He flashed her his boyish grin and pulled her against him again, briefly squeezing her before he let her go. She returned the grin with a shaky smile, reaching up to straighten up his shirt that she'd creased.

They both moved into the living room to see Steve close the door, turning to face them with a grim expression, hand clutching a leaflet.

"What's that?" Bucky asked, indicating to the piece of paper.

"A list of times and locations for enlistment." The younger man replied.

Bucky let out a low whistle and moved forward to read the information.

"Well, you can't say the government doesn't move fast. The first date on here is tomorrow."

Though her heart clenched again Beth didn't cry. Instead, she stepped forward and too the paper off the taller man, scanning the dates.

"I know it's selfish but can you both wait until after my birthday to sign up? It's only a month away."

Steve nodded in agreement, but she didn't fail to see the glint in his eyes that had her stomach plummeting with the knowledge he was going to try at the first possible chance he got. Bucky also nodded and gave her a warm look.

"That's no issue with me. It gives me chance to hit the gym and prepare as well as spend some time with my parents."

Beth gave him a fond look before looking back at Steve, whose expression had turned pensive.

"Uh-oh, I know that look. What crazy idea is your head concocting Steve?" she asked, her voice teasing.

He gave a wry smile, but the seriousness in his eyes didn't dim. He glanced over at Bucky and opened his mouth to say something, only to close it again, his face scrunching as if it was a bad idea. Bucky tilted his head and rolled his eyes.

"Spill it." He demanded playfully.

"I was thinking that I should go to the gym with you. It can't hurt to practice too right?"

Both Beth and Bucky's eyes widened slightly. He looked at them and wanted to both laugh and get angry.

"So Bucky can train but I can't?" he asked defensively.

Bucky was the first to recover and punched him on the shoulder.

"C'mon Steve, don't be like that. Sure you can come, I mean God knows you need to learn to fight properly." He jested, grinning at his best friend.

Beth sighed and shook her head.

"He does have a point I guess. Mind if I come too?"

This time it was the men's turn to gawp at her. She shrugged.

"What? If you bozos are heading off to get blown up, isn't it only fair that I learn to defend myself properly? After all, my big strong protectors won't be here to do it for me!" she said, a wide smirk on her face.

Bucky threw back his head and laughed loudly, Steve joining seconds later.

"I suppose that is a very true point." Steve agreed once he finally calmed.

"Then it's settled. We start training after lunch." Bucky decided, smiling at the pair he considered family.

…

 _Thirteen days later_

A loud smack had Steve spinning round from the punch bag he'd been hitting, his jaw dropping to see Beth laying on her back with a dazed expression, Bucky on top of her panting hard. Ignoring the protest from the guy holding the bag, he ran over to them, worry for his sister overriding his actions. Without even thinking, he slid into the ring and barrelled into Bucky, sending the older man flying to the side.

"Woah, what the hell!" Bucky yelled as Steve's fist connected with his jaw.

"You hurt her!" Steve yelled, aiming another punch.

A hand shot out and grabbed Steve's wrist, pulling him sharply away from Bucky. He looked up to argue, words failing at the angry glare he faced.

"Jeeze, Steve are you TRYING to get kicked out!" Beth shouted at him.

He flinched at the severity of her tone. She stepped closer to him, jabbing a finger painfully in his chest. He took a step back, but she went with him.

"We were training you idiot! I just moved slightly wrong and the only way to stop me from really hurting myself was for Bucky to drop me to the floor!"

She'd never seen Steve deflate so quickly, shame replacing the anger on his face. Her own anger fading, she pulled him into a brief hug before releasing him with a smile.

"Try not to forget I am a big girl that can handle my own fights okay?"

Steve reluctantly returned the smile.

"Sure thing. As long as you remember that as long as you're my little sister, I'll fight for you."

She stuck her tongue out in response and he let out a small chuckle. Bucky watched the pair and with a roll of his eyes, slung an arm round each of their shoulders.

"Okay, enough with the mushiness. I think we've done enough training now, how about we go dancing?" he asked, already predicting their reactions.

On cue, Steve went wild eyed and jerked away with a loud 'NO!' and Beth simply shook her head. Bucky grinned, ignoring the pair staring after him as he walked away from them.


	9. Not a Very Merry Christmas

I just wanted to say happy holidays to everyone! And a huge heartfelt thank you to TenebrisSagittarius for your review that truly melted my heart and made me a little teary! I'm so happy you like Beth and how I've written her and I hope I don't disappoint with my plans and how she is still so young. I really hope you continue to enjoy the story.

Once again, thank you for all your reviews and favourites!

...

 _ **December 24**_ _ **th**_ _ **1941\. Brooklyn Recruiting and Induction Center, New York**_

"Steve, I really don't feel comfortable here."

Steve sighed and gave his best friend an exasperated look.

"Come on Buck, enough already! We're doing this."

Bucky's lips pressed together in a tight line.

"What about the promise we made to Beth? You know, the one about NOT joining until after her birthday?"

For a brief moment, Steve paused, a conflicted expression crossing his face for only a split second when he shrugged and turned back to the center with a fierce resolve. With a look of disapproval, Bucky pursed his lips and considered leaving his friend to it, but ultimately, his protectiveness won and he found himself jogging after the younger man.

As they entered the room, Bucky glanced around and took in the lists showing ailments that would cause you to be rejected. He knew there was no way he would be rejected as he had never really been ill and was a very fit man, however, Steve suffered from the first three ailments alone, and Bucky's eyes spotted at least another two as he skimmed down the list once more. He wanted to drag Steve out of there before it was too late, but as his arm extended out to grasp the smaller man's collar, Beth's face flashed through his mind. At first she was smiling, but as his eyes strayed over to a film reel of bombs being dropped over London, the image was replaced by one of Beth staring up at the sky in terror, a bomb heading towards her.

A hand fell on his shoulder and he jumped violently, barely able to stop himself from lashing out at Steve, who was giving him a concerned look.

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Come on, let's get this over with."

Surprised at Bucky's sudden eagerness to join up, Steve walked up to the desk and grabbed an application form. It didn't take long before they were seated in the waiting area and Bucky found his feet kept tapping nervously.

"James Barnes."

"Steven Rogers."

Both men stood and gave each other a hug.

"Good luck." Steve said, knowing there was no way Bucky would be rejected.

"Yeah, you too." Bucky replied, patting his friend's shoulder.

He slid in to the room behind the doctor, who took all of his vitals before offering him a seat on the bed. As he fastened the buttons of his shirt, the doctor peered at him over his glasses.

"So, young man. Why is it you wish to join the army?" he asked.

Bucky took a deep breath, a frown appearing on his face, before replying.

"Honestly, I don't. I want to be the farthest place away from here I can, but if anything was to happen to my family, I would never forgive myself. That's the only reason I'm here- to keep them safe."

The doctor nodded, an understanding shine in his eyes, his head set in a grim line as he saw the unhappiness on Bucky's face.

"Well, I'm happy to clear you for duty. You'll receive instructions about basic training within the next few weeks. I'm so sorry."

Unable to speak through the emotions choking him, Bucky simply nodded and took the file. The whole process took less than twenty minutes but to the young man, it felt as though twenty years had passed. Numb, he walked back in to the waiting room to see a glum looking Steve already there. As soon as their eyes met, Bucky couldn't help but breathe with relief. Steve had been rejected, he would be safe.

"I take it they accepted you?" Steve asked, jealousy lacing his tone.

"Don't be like that." Bucky snapped, heading to the exit.

The walk back to Steve's was quiet. Steve was hurt over the rejection and felt guilty for his jealousy. Bucky was still stunned that he'd actually gone and joined up. On top of it, both felt incredibly ashamed that they'd gone behind Beth's back. By the time they finally arrived, Steve stopped Bucky before they ascended the steps.

"I'm sorry Bucky. I just wish I had been accepted."

"I know you do buddy, but at least now you can keep an eye on Beth while I'm away."

Steve grinned, but shook his head.

"She'll have Mark for that. I have a feeling his going to propose soon."

The smile fell from Bucky's face as fast as it appeared, and an uncomfortable feeling settled in his stomach. Ever since he'd found out about Beth's new man, he'd had an angry pit bubbling inside him. At first, it was anger at himself for not speaking enough to Beth, then it was towards Beth for not telling him and then it simmered out until he was angry at Mark himself. He knew why, but refused to admit it to himself, so allowed his mind to convince his heart that he was angry because it would one day break up their little family.

"Yeah, probably." He finally said, realising Steve was still waiting for a response.

Steve's eyebrow raised up once more, but Bucky ignored him and started up the stairs. Beth greeted them as they walked inside, a smear of flour on her cheek that had both men laughing. She looked at them in confusion until Bucky's hand reached up and brushed at the white powder. A blush crossed her face and both Beth and Bucky told themselves it was embarrassment, not attraction that caused it, even when she turned redder at the smirk accompanying the small touch. He let his hand drop and she smiled as she walked back to the kitchen, asking the pair how their day was. They shared a wary look before stating it was nothing out of the ordinary. She smiled over the shoulder at them and Bucky found his hand trailing to his pocket, making sure his papers were safely hidden.

"So what are you baking over there?" Steve asked, sniffing the air to try and guess.

"Mince pies. And no, you can't have any of the filling." She said to Bucky as he opened his mouth to ask that very question.

He snapped his mouth shut with a grin and shrugged as he sank down on one of the kitchen chairs, happy to watch her bustle about. Steve also watched her, his heart aching at the movements that only a year ago were being done by their mother. He missed her so much, and seeing Beth taking over from her made him both happy and sad. Bucky saw his friend's expression and reached over to pat his shoulder. Seeing the movement, Beth turned and wrapped her arms round him as a few silent tears broke from his eyes. From the shaking of her body, Steve knew she was using his sadness to let her own out and raised his arms to awkwardly wrap around them. Bucky decided to give them a moment and stepped in to the living room, not realising he'd knocked his jacket off the back of the chair in doing so. Beth's eagle eyes spotted a piece of paper fall to the floor, and the moment she read the words 'US Army Recruitment Form', she let out a gasp. Pulling out of Steve's grasp, she bent to pick it up, her eyes widening as she read the words, telling her that Bucky had been drafted.

"Beth." Steve began, rising from the chair.

She turned a glare to him azure eyes flashing with an anger he'd never before seen from her, and one that immediately had him sitting back in his seat.

"Don't." she warned as his mouth opened once more.

The venom in her voice made him shudder and as she stormed out of the room, Steve decided it would be wise to stay out of the way. As she moved to the living room, Bucky smiled up at her from his crouched position next to the tree, only for it to falter at the livid expression on her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he stood to face her.

Her hand slammed in to his chest and he reached up to take the piece of paper from beneath her palm. His throat instantly dried and she continued glaring at him with hears shining in her eyes.

"You dropped something." She spat.

Unable to stay in the room a moment longer, she flung open the front door, slamming it so hard behind her the windows shook. Bucky let the paper drop to the floor and took a shuddering breath as he heard her barely muffled sobs filter in from outside. Steve shuffled in from the kitchen and Bucky sighed.

"What do we do?" he asked.

Steve shrugged.

"I have no clue. Just give her a few minutes."

Though he didn't want to, Bucky agreed and took a seat in the living room. After a few minutes, the sound of Beth's crying stopped, but she still didn't come back in. another few moments passed and Bucky was about ready to haul her into the warmth when he heard a male's voice on the other side of the door. Mark. Gritting his teeth, Bucky once more sat down and barely greeted the other man when he entered with Beth. Beth ignored the pair of them and moved back to the kitchen, bringing in a pot of coffee shortly after. Though she chatted amicably to them, Bucky knew it was only for Mark's benefit, and it only made him more irritated.

By the time Mark left, Bucky felt like smashing something, so when Steve invited him to his room, he jumped off the sofa as if it was aflame. Beth watched them go, her anger from earlier dissolving into sadness. Silently, she gathered their empty cups and after washing them, decided she wanted some air. She grabbed her coat from the hanger and moved on to the balcony outside her room, not caring that snow had started falling again. She brushed a patch of snow away and sat down with her legs dangling over the edge, watching the hustle and bustle of the street below. Despite it being Christmas Eve, people still filled the sidewalk, desperate to buy the last minute presents they forgot. At that moment, Beth wanted to ignore Christmas altogether. The door quietly opened behind her and when a familiar pair of legs stood next to her, she let out a sigh.

"I'm so sorry Bethie. Steve was so desperate to join and I couldn't let him do it alone."

"Even though you knew there was no way they'd say yes to him?" she asked.

Though there was no anger, her words still made Bucky flinch.

"Guess I was worried they'd be so desperate they'd let anyone in" he admitted.

Beth looked up at him and for the first time, saw the fear he had for her brother's safety. At once, her anger vanished completely and she picked herself up, flinging herself into his arms.

"Thank you for being there for him." She said into the fabric of his jacket.

"Till the end of the line." he said, reminding her of his promise at Sarah's funeral.

She grinned up at him and nodded.

"Till the end of the line."


	10. Rings and Kisses

_**I've noticed that my story seems to currently be coinciding with the actual dates! As the 13th is actually my birthday, I've decided to post this up now so I can focus on my birthday and some uni work over the next week or so. I hope you all enjoy. Oh and happy 2016!**_

 _ **In this chapter, there is a VERY prominent moment between Beth and Bucky and this will be a huge turning point for their relationship! I hope you like it!**_

 _ **...**_

 _ **January 13**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 1942. Brooklyn, New York.**_

Throwing the curtains open with a loud cry of 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY!' was not one of Steve's best ideas, especially when he was rewarded for his efforts with a well-placed pillow to the face. Grinning despite the fact the blow had stung, he grasped the duvet covering his sister and pulled it off, laughing at her screams as the frigid January air hit her skin.

"Steve! You are SO dead!" she shouted, but her brother had already escaped, running to the relative safety of the living room.

Wasting no time, she jumped up and chased after him, her hair tumbling round her face despite the effort she made in vain to push it back. Following his laughter, she found him in front of the sofa, lifting a cushion up as if it was a shield. With a growl, she lunged forward, not expecting him to dodge her. Knowing she would be unable to stop from falling, she braced herself for impact, only it never came. Instead, a strong pair of arms wrapped round her waist and she felt herself being pulled up against a solid chest. Her hands flattened out on the chest as she regained her balanced and looked up to see Bucky grinning down at her.

"Easy Bethie, wouldn't want you hurting yourself on your twenty first birthday now would we?"

Slapping his shoulder playfully at the use of the nickname her gave her years ago, she pulled away, fighting a blush at their close proximity. She suddenly became conscious of the fact she was only in her nightdress, her hair still cascading wildly down her back. Sensing her discomfort, Bucky averted his gaze long enough for her to run back out of the room, even though he had to fight the urge to call after her to keep her hair down. Shaking the thought from his head, he turned back to see Steve give him an indecipherable look.

"What?" he asked.

Steve shrugged, deciding it was nothing, before heading to the kitchen to make breakfast. Bucky made himself comfortable on the sofa after Steve called through to say he didn't need extra help, and not five minutes later, Beth came back into the room, this time wearing a dark blue shirt tucked into a knee length skirt, her hair tied back loosely with a ribbon. She sent him a smile and sat on the chair opposite him, pulling her legs up under herself.

"So, that was embarrassing." She confessed with a grin.

Bucky let out a soft laugh and sat back further into the chair, feeling more relaxed now the tension had vanished. Steve entered the room, deciding against asking what was so funny and declared breakfast ready.

"So, breakfast, then time for gifts before Mark arrives." He announced.

Beth almost gave a start, feeling ashamed that she'd forgotten her boyfriend. When he first asked her out, she went for politeness, only to soon find herself in a relationship she had never even wanted in the first place. She had confessed to a friend that she felt too young to be tied down but her friend had simply replied with 'We're heading towards war, and if that happens, you need to be secure.' That friend was only a month older than Beth herself and was already married with one child, choosing to leave school and have that 'secure' life. Beth wanted to scoff, but instead she'd let the relationship continue, to the point she knew it wasn't long before he'd ask for her own hand and she would be pressured to say yes. Silently, she brushed at her eyes, not surprised to notice a tear rolling down the cheek facing away from the two men in the room.

So lost in her thoughts, she didn't see the worry in Steve's eyes as he saw her brush at her eyes, nor did she see the confusion laced with protectiveness in Bucky's gaze as they both watched her. Neither failed to realise it was the mention of her boyfriend that led to her mood dropping, and though they both wanted to ask, with one shared look, they decided against it and left the room to give her a moment. Beth waited a few moments after they left to compose herself before joining them for food. As she entered the kitchen she gave them a big grin, and though the two men knew she was only pretending, they went with it and smiled back.

After a pleasant breakfast, the small group moved back into the living room and Steve was quick to thrust a large, flat parcel her way. She let out a surprised gasp as she opened it to see a beautiful painting of their mom staring back, encased in a wooden frame that had been polished to perfection. She reached over and pulled him into a crushing hug, her lips pressing against his cheek as he grinned at her.

"It's absolutely amazing, Steve." She gushed, hugging him once more.

Steve sat back to allow Bucky to give her the next present. She opened the small box he paced in her hands and giggled when she pulled out a small teddy bear in the shape of a dog, with fur and eyes the same colour as Bucky's.

"He can keep a watch and protect you when I'm not around. After all, it might seem strange if I kept appearing when you were in trouble" He joked.

Fighting the instinct to tell him she _wanted_ him to always be there to protect her, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Not letting herself think about it for fear of crying, she turned to Steve, who had tapped her shoulder.

"Close your eyes" he instructed.

Doing as told, Beth felt her arm being lifted and something wrapped round her wrist. Once he gave the all clear, she opened her eyes again and let out a soft breath of air.

"Oh Steve, it's beautiful!" she exclaimed as she examined the golden chain against her skin, intertwined with bright sapphires.

"Mom gave it to me when she fell ill in case something happened. She said grandma gave it to her on her twenty first birthday and I was to give it to you on yours."

Eyes shining, Beth flung her arms round him and hugged him tightly. The small group settled on the sofas and hours later, they were laughing hysterically as Steve hopelessly acted out his clues in the game of charades they were playing. The knock on the door broke the mood. Steve jumped up to answer it and Beth rose from her seat, knowing it would be Mark. Sure enough, seconds later he walked in, beaming at her as he encircled his arms around her. He lowered his head to kiss her lips and she gave him a smile, but Bucky could see it didn't reach her eyes and gave a frown as Mark took Beth's hand and led her out of the room.

"Something's wrong." Steve said from beside him.

Bucky nodded in agreement.

"Think he's hurting her?" he asked.

Steve made a noise of disagreement.

"No, he is a really nice guy. I think it's Beth herself. I don't think she wants to be with him but feels it's too late to back out as it'll make her look like she led him on for nothing."

Bucky blinked a few times, once more stunned by just how perceptive Steve could be. As always, the younger man hit the nail on the head. If there was one person afraid to hurt someone's feelings, it would be Beth. He could easily see her entering a marriage rather than upset anyone. The thought made his fists clench at his sides, mirroring Steve's own stance.

"We need to talk to her." Bucky said.

The pair shared a look and moved out to the balcony the couple were standing on, only to stop dead when they saw Mark lower himself down to one knee. Steve saw that it wasn't happy surprise on his sister's face. Her eyes shone with the tears of someone desperate to escape. Beside him, Bucky had gone shock still, disbelief on his face as Beth nodded and the ring was slipped in her finger, Mark whooping for joy as he kissed her. When their lips parted, Beth reached up to hug him and for a split second, her eyes connected with Bucky, letting him see the pain and hopelessness she was feeling before she looked away again.

With a small growl, Bucky left the room and found himself wandering in to Steve and Beth's bedroom. He glared out of the window, angry, but not sure who with more, himself for not noticing her unhappiness sooner, or Beth herself for not saying anything. He wanted nothing more than to march in and take her out of Mark's arms, but the feeling only made him confused. He shouldn't be so upset to see the girl he considered a sister get engaged. He ignored the part of his brain whispering that he was lying to himself about his true feelings and continued to glare at the world outside. Behind him, the door opened and closed quietly and he sighed, assuming it was Steve, who had stayed back to congratulate the pair.

"Hey, are you okay?"

He spun to see the concerned expression on Beth's face and for a moment, his mind went blank, unable to think of something to stay. In the end, he simply shrugged and gave a half-hearted smile she saw straight through.

"Yeah, I'm good. Congrats, by the way." He replied, pointing to her ring.

She felt her eyes narrow at his tone, her arms folding.

"You know for a fact I know there's something wrong. Spill it."

He didn't want to, knowing he was already too annoyed for it to end well, but he knew she wasn't about to drop it any time soon. He thrust a hand through his hair and faced her completely, a glare still on his face.

"Look into my eyes and tell me you really want this. Then there's nothing wrong with me. If you keep lying though, there's a very big problem that won't be going away any time soon."

Beth returned his glare, but kept her voice low as she replied, not wanting to alert Steve and Mark to the fact they were arguing.

"You have no right to say that!" she hissed.

Not caring that the other two might hear, Bucky flung his hands in the air.

"Oh come on! I've known you far too long to not be allowed to say anything! You think I didn't see how upset you are!?" he yelled.

Outside, Steve heard their raised voices and patted Mark on the shoulder.

"Hey, how about we get some air? I could do with a walk and stretch my legs."

Mark agreed, casting a worried glance at the bedroom door. Steve smiled and led him towards the front door.

"Don't worry, he's just having the same argument with her that I will be having about something. It's been brewing for a while so we should let them hash it out."

Mark nodded meekly and followed the shorter man out of the house. Steve made sure to shut the door loudly and Beth wanted to send a prayer of relief except she was too angry at Bucky to do so. Knowing her boyfriend- _fiancé_ , her mind corrected, had left, she raised her voice to match the man in front of her.

"Why do you even care Bucky? You can't just decide to act like my brother whenever you feel like it!"

"I care because you should have come to me or Steve if you were unhappy! It's still not too late to say no to him. Just make sure this really is what you want before you give up your life!"

She suddenly pushed against his chest, making him have to catch himself from falling to the floor.

"What's the point when the one I want to be with never even notices me!?" she screamed.

Moving faster than she believed possible, Bucky lunged towards her and before she knew it, his lips crashed down onto her own. She eagerly returned the kiss until she remembered Mark. Her mind went blank and she instinctively pushed him away, this time succeeding in sending him to the floor. The moment he fell, her hands shot to her mouth and she let out a loud gasp. Bucky gaped back at her, eyes impossibly wide from his semi-crouching position as he picked himself up.

The tears building in her eyes finally began to fall and she spun to leave, too embarrassed to stay in the same room as him any longer. She didn't get very far, Bucky's chest pressing against her back, his hand reaching above her to close the door she'd begun to open. She kept her head down as his arm dropped to take hold of her hand and pull it off the handle. Without saying a word, he turned her round and lifted her chin with his free hand to force her to look at him. The moment azure blue met Prussian, his gaze softened and he brushed away a tear with a finger.

"Why would you ever think I didn't notice you, Bethie?" he whispered softly, his mind cheering as he realised he truly did feel more for her than he'd admitted.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she closed her eyes as his head tilted down to hers, their lips pressing together gently. Bucky's arms wrapped tightly round her waist, pulling her against him as her hands slid up his arms and into his hair. Softly, she tugged him closer, deepening the kiss. He let out a moan and she suppressed one of her own, her stomach exploding with butterflies. Her heart sang; never had she felt like this kissing anybody before and she knew that as long as she lived, she never would again. This time when they parted, Bucky rested his forehead against hers, a look in his eyes she'd never seen before and one she suspected no woman had ever seen. It made her heart clench painfully.

"It's not too late to say no" Bucky whispered, as if afraid speaking would ruin the moment.

Though her eyes grew sad again, she gave him a brief peck on his lips, smiling as his arms tightened round her waist.

"I can't Bucky. I've already said yes. Besides, you're shipping out for basic training next month. We both know it would never work between us."

Bucky wanted to punch something at the defeat in her voice. He could see clearly how unhappy she was, but understood completely that she was scared.

"Bethie, look at me. I may be leaving, but I want to leave knowing that you are the one I'm coming home to. Please tell me you will think about it."

He could see how much she wanted to say yes, how much she was torn and decided to step back. He gave her a sad smile and kissed her cheek.

"I'm sorry. Look, I'll leave and let you celebrate your birthday and engagement."

He left the room, and Beth could only stare blankly at the wall in front of her as it shut. She touched a shaking hand to her lips, the skin still tingling from their kiss. She found herself thinking about the times she'd kissed Mark; not once had she ever felt so complete, so loved. She took a breath to clear her mind and made herself think of her future. She pictured little blonde and brunette children running around a house of her own. In her vision, she stood next to her husband, his arms wrapped round her, her head on his chest.

The sound of the front door shutting jerked her from her thoughts and she called out his name. Mark was too short for her to rest comfortably against his chest. Her head always rested against his shoulder when he hugged her. It meant only one thing; Mark was not the one she wished to have that future with and as much as she felt she was betraying him, she had to let Bucky know how she felt. It seemed to take an age to reach the front door and when she finally flung it open, she saw Bucky close the door of his car.

"Bucky!" she cried out, but he didn't hear and the car disappeared down the street, the driver not seeing her wrap her arms round herself as tears fell down her face.


	11. Valentine's Day

_**February 14**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 1942. Brooklyn, New York**_

Beth was feeling anything but romantic. In the past month, she'd found out the man she'd secretly loved for years loved her back and kissed him on the same day she'd gotten engaged to another man. Then, she'd been too afraid to admit she didn't want to marry her new fiancé and instead, let the man she loved leave. After three weeks of silence from Bucky, she'd finally gathered the courage to end her engagement, but Mark had left the city for work. He had returned only one day ago and called the phone to say he would be round on Valentine's day, but Beth had simply placed the phone down and walked to his house. She had expected him to be unpacking his bags, only she walked in to find him tangled in the sheets with her married friend that had been pressuring her into staying in the relationship in the first place. All Beth had done was cough and throw the ring at him when he scrambled off the other woman, before leaving and heading straight to Bucky's. He didn't answer, and she could hear faint noises coming from the house that told her he was preoccupied, no doubt with his latest dance partner. She spent the night laying on the sofa with her head on Steve's lap, cursing her stupidity for staying with Mark and turning Bucky away, tears soaking through the cushion and onto her brothers lap.

As the sun filtered through the room the following morning, Beth gave a groan and stretched as she woke up, still laying on the sofa. She sat up, blinking blearily and frowning to see the curtain was already open.

"Does it have to be so bright?" she growled as she stumbled towards the kitchen.

She heard a laugh come from the hallway and glared at the mug in front of her as she waited for the kettle to boil.

"Shut up Steve." She ground out, not in the mood for his teasing.

"Not Steve" the voice replied.

Dropping the spoon in her hand, she spun to see Bucky propped up against the doorframe, one eyebrow quirked up in amusement. He knew she wasn't a morning person and it had always been a running joke between him and Steve to play pranks on her when she was too tired to function properly.

"Morning Bethie." He said, his expression turning serious.

"Hi." She breathed, not quite sure if she was dreaming.

Wordlessly, he pushed off the frame and stepped into the kitchen to take one of the mugs out of the cupboard and place it next to her own. She waited until she was certain he really was there to speak, but as she opened her mouth to say something, he beat her to it.

"Steve called this morning and told me about Mark."

Beth glanced at him over her shoulder and shrugged.

"You would have found out from me in person last night but you were too 'busy' to answer the door"

He gave her a confused look.

"What are you talking about? I was home the whole night and my door didn't knock once."

A wave of anger surged through her and Beth faced him so quickly, he had to step back to stop her crashing into him. His eyes widened at the tears in her eyes. Too upset to do anything else, Beth let the pain of the past few weeks fuel her words.

"So I'm a liar then? No, wait, I just _imagined_ the sound of a woman crying out, obviously in the throes of having sex with you, did I!?"

Surprise flashed across his face, quickly replaced with understanding.

"You went to the house on 3rd street?" he asked.

She nodded, arms wrapping round herself, seething he knew she always did to comfort herself. He gave a sigh.

"I don't live there anymore; I've been away doing basic training and decided to sell the place. I moved to 5th two days ago. Whoever that was you heard, it definitely wasn't me"

If anything, his words only made her angrier, and the knowledge that he had started basic training without telling her only served to fuel it further. With a cry, she lunged, hands slamming in to his chest. Knowing her well enough to expect the move, Bucky caught her arms, holding her in place and keeping himself from falling over. While she was normally the most evenly tempered person he knew, the pain she'd gone through the past month had tipped her into violence and honestly, he couldn't blame her.

"How was I to know when you've been ignoring me for over a month despite the fact I tried calling you back to tell you I'd chosen you!?" she screamed, continuing to try and hit him despite the grip he had on her wrists.

Her words were like a kick to his heart and he flinched at the venom laced pain in them. She finally stopped trying to hit him and dissolved in to sobs. Automatically, he wrapped his arms round her and pulled her so tightly against him, they both struggled to breathe properly, but he didn't care.

"I'm so sorry, I'm sorry." He chanted in her hair as he rocked her.

It took a while, but eventually she calmed and he relaxed his hold slightly. Neither made an attempt to move, until Beth's voice, still thick with tears, spoke.

"Why?" she asked.

He didn't need her to elaborate, knowing the questions she wanted answering. _Why didn't you tell me you moved, why did you walk away, why did you leave me?_

"I couldn't watch you with him, not knowing how much I wanted him to be me. It hurt too much to think about and I thought that removing myself from the picture completely would make it easier for us both to move on. I was wrong on every level, not being round you only made it harder. I meant what I said that day Bethie, I want you to be my gal."

The room fell silent and Bucky was afraid he'd damaged their relationship too far when Beth's arms tentatively wrapped round his own waist and she looked up at him, eyes shining with fresh tears.

"Kiss me." She whispered, her voice a plea.

Not hesitating, he lowered his head to hers and moulded his lips against her own. He didn't know how long they stood in the embrace, but when they finally parted, they were both flushed and breathless. Beth reached a hand up and stroked his cheek, his eyes fluttering closed as he absorbed the touch.

"You're such an idiot" she muttered.

His eyes slid open again and the look he gave her was questioning. She smiled, fondness the only emotion on her face and he relaxed once more, relieved she wasn't angry.

"I know I am" he agreed.

She chuckled and reached up on tiptoes to place another kiss on his mouth. Her arms rubbed up and down his arms and a very feminine part of her stirred awake, taking note that the basic training had definitely made those arms more muscular than she remembered. His chest seemed broader too and she had to admit that the change was definitely putting images in her mind that bordered on inappropriate. Feeling her body heat up in response to her thoughts, she forced her attention back to her words.

"You're an idiot because when you left the apartment that day, I had an image of my future and it was you standing beside me, not Mark. I tried chasing you to tell you, but you were already in your car. I only stayed engaged to Mark after that because you made it clear you didn't want to see me again, but I was so unhappy I eventually had enough and went there yesterday to end it. Obviously you know how that went. If you'd just given me a few more seconds that day, this would have happened much sooner."

Bucky let her words sink in and his eyes clouded over in anger, but Beth knew it was aimed at himself, not her.

"I really am an idiot." He muttered.

Not wanting him to think about it, she pulled him in for another kiss.

"It doesn't matter. All that matters is right here, right now." She said as they pulled away.

Bucky nodded and gathered her in his arms once more. As she sank in to his embrace, he closed his eyes, relishing the feeling of her finally being in his arms. Never again was he letting her go. Sighing contentedly, he tilted her head up for a sweet kiss that he poured all his emotions in. Her eyes sparkled up at him and he smiled warmly back at her.

"Happy Valentine's day, Bethie."


	12. Surprise!

_so I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter and are as happy as I am that they are finally together! Now, on with the story as we draw ever loser to the start of CA:TFA. This is the point I'm excited for as Beth finally really comes into her own!_

 _ **February 27**_ _ **th**_ _ **1942\. Brooklyn, New York**_

The next time Bucky left for his second and final round of training, it was a much happier occasion as he knew he would be returning to the woman he loved and who loved him back more than he could imagine. He stared only at her as the bus left, imprinting her smile in his mind. He didn't see the smile drop as they turned out of view and was oblivious to the tear rolling down her cheek, but Steve didn't miss it. He placed a comforting arm on his sister's shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile.

"He'll be okay."

She nodded allowing herself to believe the words, even though they both knew that there was a higher chance he wouldn't be once he was sent in to battle. Already, a number of friends and neighbours had lost loved ones and each time she heard about it, Beth grew more and more fearful for Bucky. Steve kissed her cheek fondly and she gave him a soft look, following after him as he turned to go home.

 _ **March 10**_ _ **th**_ _ **1942\. Queen's, New York**_

Steve was busy stacking shelves when Beth entered, cheeks flushed and eyes shining with happiness and pride. He gave her an amused look as she tripped over a box, barely catching herself, and she playfully smacked his arm.

"I heard from Bucky, he's been made a sergeant!" she breathed.

Both ride and jealousy swelled in Steve's breast. Beth also noticed and nudged him.

"Come on big brother, you'll get your chance someday, I just know it!" she encouraged, even though deep down, she knew she'd continue praying every night for him to never have to fight.

Steve sighed, knowing she was right, and pushed his jealousy aside to grin broadly at her.

"When I'm home we'll have to write back and congratulate him."

Beth nodded enthusiastically and after a quick hug, was bustling out of the door once more, glowing with happiness. Her Bucky, a sergeant!

 _ **May 7**_ _ **th**_ _ **1942\. Camp McCoy, Wisconsin**_

As Beth stepped off the bus, she breathed a sigh of relief. Being the only female was bad enough. Being the only female on a fourteen-hour journey when none of the males felt she should be there was hell on earth. Still, it was over and she could relax a little. The small group was met by a uniformed male, who indicated for them to follow him. Beth felt a little nervous as she walked through the camp. Feeling the eyes of hundreds of men on her was not the most pleasant experience, especially as none were the eyes she wanted on her. As if reading her mind, she suddenly felt a gaze on her that had her blushing, a smile spreading on her face.

"Bethie!?"

She barely had time to turn round when she was engulfed by a pair of strong arms. She laughed as she returned the embrace, her hand sliding round his neck to cup the nape. He let her go, a shocked smile on his face, his eyes shining with joy that she was there.

"But…how? Oh god, please don't tell me Steve's here" he asked.

She chuckled and shook her head.

"No, just me. I'm here for training."

"I don't get it." he said, confusion in his gaze.

"I didn't want to tell you, as I knew you'd worry yourself, but I'm a fully trained nurse. When you wrote and told me about your promotion, I realised I didn't want to sit around waiting for you to come home. I had a little medical knowledge thanks to Steve being so sickly, so I joined the nursing corps. I completed my training last week."

Bucky couldn't believe it. well, he could actually, but he was still surprised to actually see her standing in front of him.

"Wait, if you've done your training, how come you're here?" he asked, still confused.

A voice shouting her name cut off her response and she gave him an apologetic look.

"I'll find you later and tell you everything."

She jogged back to the group and Bucky could see her telling them why she'd left them. He shook his head bemusedly, not quite sure why she was there, but over the moon none the less to see her and be able to hold her.

By the time Beth finished her induction and had been shown to her quarters, night had fallen. She yawned as she stepped out of her bunker, rubbing the tiredness from her eyes. She began making her way to the food hall when a hand grasped her arm and a pair of lips pressed against her own, she sank into it, curling her fists on Bucky's chest as he smiled against her. when they parted, they were both breathless and she chuckled.

"That was a nice hello."

He shrugged, reluctant to let her go just yet.

"I didn't get chance to do it earlier. Now, what brings you here? You can tell me as I accompany you to your dinner."

She smiled and walked beside him, her arm linked with his own as she continued her explanation.

"After I completed my training, we had an officer come in from the field medic corps. He said that they were desperate and as they needed as many men as possible to fight, they were recruiting women to the corps. Apparently they are targeting those from the nursing corps because of our medical training. By the looks of things, I'm one of the only females to volunteer, though I have been assured that there are others across the States."

Bucky paused and for a moment, simply stared down at her in awe. When she glanced up at him with doubt in her eyes, he felt his mouth pull up in to a grin.

"You're magnificent." He said and smiled wider as a blush spread across her face.

Beth buried her head in his shoulder to hide the blush but she knew from his chuckle that he'd already seen it and she felt her cheeks heat up more in response. Bucky slid his arm round her shoulder, holding her tightly against him until they reached the food hall. He reluctantly let her go and after pecking him lightly on the lips, she disappeared in to the building. As she entered, she spotted a group of females already in the queue and made her way over. One, a young petite girl with a raven bob framing her face, smiled brightly at her.

"Hi! You must be the new woman we were told about!" she said as Beth made her way over.

Beth gave them a shy smile, tucking her hair behind her ear, something Steve and Bucky always joked about because they knew it was one of her nervous ticks. She heard Bucky laugh from somewhere behind her and frowned over her shoulder at him. The movement didn't go unnoticed by the other nurse, who gave her a grin.

"Would I be right in guessing your sweetheart is here?" she asked.

Beth gave a sheepish grin.

"Is it really so obvious?"

"Not overly, but only someone who has a sweetheart themselves knows that look honey. Oh I'm so silly! My name is Alice."

"Beth. And yeah, the idiot by the trashcan over there is my man, sergeant Bucky Barnes."

A whine from the nurse beside her had her turning a confused expression on the other woman.

"I've been sweet on him since I got here!"

Beth couldn't help it. She burst into peals of laughter, closely followed by the rest of the table. From the end of the cafeteria, Bucky smiled fondly at her, but as his eyes swept across to the other medic trainees, he frowned to see the condescending looks they were throwing her. He knew she could hold her ground, he just hoped she could do it when she was greatly outnumbered.

 _ **November 30**_ _ **th**_ _ **1942\. Camp McCoy, Wisconsin.**_

Bucky didn't know what he was so worried about. Though the first month was tough and he kept finding Beth hiding in strange places with suspicious tear marks on her face she kept brushing off, she eventually cracked her fellow trainees and rose above them to become the best in the group. She outshone everyone, showing a natural talent for medicine that stunned and pleased the higher ups. And Bucky knew it wouldn't be long before she was recruited and joined the ranks as a female soldier.

He didn't really want it, but as long as she was close so he could watch over her, he could accept it. He couldn't believe he could ever feel so proud of anyone, but the day she ran over and flung herself in his arms, telling him she'd passed the final exam with flying colours, his heart just about burst, and he knew Steve was just as, if not more, proud of her.

Elizabeth Rogers, aged twenty-one, became the first female medic in the USA army on November 30th, 1942. As Sara Rogers had predicted, her babies were destined to make history, and Beth had just set the bar.


	13. The Field is Nothing Like the Training

_So, Beth is now a medic and in this chapter we get a glimpse of her life out in the field. Thank you to Lara Barnes for your reviews, they mean the world to me! As always, thank you for all the favourites and follows! This one's not too long, but the next few will be back to their normal length!_

 _On a side note, I sat down and worked out everything I want to write leading up to Civil War and there were over 100 chapters! I don;t want to cut anything out, so I have decided this will be story 1 in a series and there;s likely to be around 3 or 4 other stories to the set. If I finish them before Civil War comes out, there will be a break as I don;t want to write anything along that storyline until I've seen it. Basically, you're in for a lot of Beth!_

 _ **March 12**_ _ **th**_ _ **1943\. Camp Lehigh, New Jersey.**_

Beth stepped out of the car, her stomach twisted in knots. She took a shaky breath to steel herself, grasping Bucky's hand as tightly as she could when he stood next to her and took her own. He grimaced slightly, but squeezed back, flashing her a reassuring smile when she looked over at him. Her knees began to shake and she leaned in to him, his arm wrapping round her waist.

"It'll be okay Bethie." He murmured into her hair before he planted a kiss on her temple.

She didn't trust her voice to reply, so she simply nodded, telling herself that this was what she'd signed up for. There was no backing out now. She looked around her at the soldiers milling around and couldn't help but wonder how long it would be before she was patching any of them up. Frowning at her thoughts, she shook her head, ignoring the questioning glance Bucky sent her.

"Beth! Over here!"

Her nerves momentarily forgotten, Beth let go of Bucky's hand and dashed over to Joshua, laughing as he scooped her up and spun her round. She pulled him into a tight hug and he grinned down at her.

"I had no idea you were coming!" Beth exclaimed.

His smile widened.

"Yeah. Brown has fallen ill so they drafted me in at the last minute."

"I think that's the best news I've had in a long time. I really wasn't looking forward to spending the next few months with him."

Joshua laughed as he let her go. Beth glanced back at Bucky to see him standing there with a look on his face that was a cross between jealous and amused. Beth grabbed Joshua's hand and pulled him over to the other man.

"Bucky, this is Joshua, the friend from my course I told you about."

In a flash, the jealousy vanished from Bucky's expression. He held out his hand and shook the other man's.

"Nice to meet you. I hear you looked after my girl while you guys trained back in Wisconsin."

A slight blush crossed Joshua's face as he let go of Bucky's hand.

"Yeah, I just didn't like how they treated her. I think it's because they were jealous of the fact a woman was better than them."

Beth laughed gleefully and tapped his arm in a mock reprimand Bucky had experienced a number of times himself. It made him smile and relax, knowing she had someone with her who would take care of her. Hearing her name being called, he leaned over to kiss her, her eyes shining with love.

"Speak soon okay?"

she returned the kiss and gently pushed him away.

"Always."

 _ **June 3**_ _ **rd**_ _ **1943\. London, England**_

Beth was exhausted. If she thought training to be a medic was hard, actually using those skills was even harder. She scrubbed furiously at her face with the back of her sleeve, but the blood there only smeared. She gave a sigh as the doctor shook his head, indicating another lost life. She bit her lip as the sheet was pulled up to cover his face and the nurse beside her put a hand on her shoulder.

"There was no way he was going to make it."

Beth nodded stiffly, knowing it was true but frustrated that yet another one had gone. She'd been in England three weeks and it was certainly a shock.

Half of the 107th had been shipped out and they needed two medics to go. Beth and Joshua had been the chosen ones. Though they were yet to see any front lines, the devastation they faced within moments of arriving made Beth never want to. Within a minute of arriving at the base, the pair had been ushered into a large tent, where they were faced with carnage. All around them, men were screaming, blood and guts strewn around haphazardly. Beth stopped shock dead at the sight, unable to process the horror of what she was seeing. Beside her, Josh leaned over, the contents of his stomach spilling onto the floor, mixing with the body fluids already there. A trolley rushed past Beth, a nurse's hand clamped over a bloody stump of a solider. The wound was spirting blood and hit her in the face, snapping her out of her shock. She dropped her bag, rushing after the trolley as the nurse called for a doctor. She immediately pulled the nurse's hand away and ignoring the anguished cry from the man laying down, shoved her fingers into the wound to pinch the artery and stop the blood. The nurse opened her mouth to speak when a doctor strode over, eyes flashing.

"Who the hell are you and what do you think you are doing!?" he bellowed in a clipped English voice as she reached next to her for a set of clamps.

"I'm Elizabeth Rogers, one of your new medics. I'm also the person saving this man's life so if you don't mind, I would appreciate your assistance rather than having you shout at me like that." She replied, her voice calm and steady, her eyes alight with anger.

She could see his chest puff out and sighed, in no mood for his attitude. Thankfully, he chose not to speak and stepped next to her to hold the clamp in place so she could remove her hand and stitch up the artery. He watched her work and when she smiled and wrapped the wound, he gave her an impressed look.

"Not bad. Elizabeth, was it?" he said as the soldier was wheeled away.

Beth nodded, wiping her hands on a rag before extending one out to him.

"It technically is, but I prefer Beth."

He took her hand and gave her a smile. She relaxed, glad it seemed he wasn't all that bothered that she was female.

"Nice work there, Beth. I'm Dr Hicks, but call me Edward. Now, where's your partner so I can show you your accommodation?"

Looking around the room, Beth could see that Joshua had composed himself and was currently elbow deep in someone's leg that had been blown to smithereens. She looked back at Edward and shook her head.

"If it's all the same, I'd like to just get to work and worry about sleep later."

That had been three weeks ago and though she had adapted to the stress and pressure, she was still struggling with the sheer amount of injuries she saw every day. She was lucky to have a room of her own as she spent many a night crying, unable to comprehend the sadness of so many young lives lost. With each death she grew more afraid for Bucky, as she knew it wouldn't be long before he was shipped out and she was so scared he wouldn't make it out. She knew Steve had attempted to sign up again, using a fake address, and no amount of pleading would stop him. She was just grateful the army wasn't desperate enough to accept him yet.

"Beth? You still there, doll?"

She shook her head, focusing on the phone receiver in her hands.

"Yeah, I'm here Buck. I was just thinking is all."

"You shouldn't. Or if you do, you should think about sleeping as I know you probably aren't."

She giggled despite the seriousness in his tone and could picture him on the other end of the line with a grin on his face as he stood with an arm pressed up against the wall, hand in his hair.

"I miss you." She admitted, a lump forming in her throat as she thought of him.

"I miss you too Bethie. I'll be there in a few days, so you don't have long to wait.

"They're sending you here?" she asked, feeling sick.

"Yeah. I leave on the 14th. I'm taking Steve to the expo on the 13th."

She forced herself not to cry as she realised her fear was coming true in only eleven days.

"Oh really? Well, do me a favour, would you? Have fun there. Take a girl dancing or something."

She heard the surprised intake of breath from Bucky and smiled fondly.

"No, I don't mean I'm ending things." She said before he could speak. "I just want you to really enjoy yourself and I know you love dancing."

"I could never dance with someone other than you." He argued.

"Bucky. I mean it. Try and find Steve a date too, yeah?"

Reluctantly, he agreed and she smiled as they ended the call. The moment the phone was on the cradle, she bent over double, tears finally falling.


	14. Transformation

_Good news- from this chapter we're finally in the movie so the story can really now start to progress!_

 _Bad news- two months ago, I lost my aunt to cancer and unfortunately, I found out my grandad passed with the same illness yesterday. It may be a while before my next update as I am going to stay with my nan for a while as she is disabled and needs help with funeral and care arrangements now she's alone. I will try to get the next update out sooner, but I'm currently dealing with a lot. I thank you in advance for your patience._

 _Also, thank you to aandm20 and TenebrisSagittarius for your reviews, they mean the world to me._

 _ **June 15**_ _ **th**_ _ **1943\. London, England**_

It seemed as though no time at all had passed when suddenly, there she was in his arms, holding him as if he could blow away any second. Not that he cared as he returned the embrace with one of his own, holding so tightly she was sure there would be bruising on her ribs the next morning.

"I missed you." He said after kissing her for the umpteenth time.

"I missed you too." She replied, pulling him in for yet another one.

The whole journey to the camp they sat holding hands, their eyes never straying from each other. Beth's smile was radiant and Bucky's heart gave a kick every time her mouth curled upwards in a smile.

"How did it go last night?" she asked him, remembering the Stark expo.

"Pretty good, until Steve decided to try joining up again."

Beth shook her head with a fond smile on her face.

"He'll never give up." She stated.

"Yeah. Little punk." Bucky agreed.

Beth started giggling and Bucky chuckled, both completely unaware that at that moment, Steven Grant Rogers had started his journey towards becoming one of the greatest legends of all time.

 _ **June 20**_ _ **th**_ _ **1943, London, England**_

Bucky was in awe. All he had come to do was tell Beth he was due to be shipped out to Italy in the next week. Instead, he found himself standing shock still as he walked into the tent to find the woman of his affections with her hand shoved into a man's stomach, pulling out chunks of what looked like shredded beef. He watched her work effortlessly, keeping her calm as the solider grew weaker and weaker until, despite her efforts, the light of life vanished from his eyes. His first instinct was to go and hold her as she lifted the calm mask to reveal one of sorrow. Instead, he forced himself to watch, admiring her strength as she simply brushed some hair off the man's face and kissed his cheek before covering him with a sheet. She then took a few breaths and moved on to her next patient, a young man who couldn't have been out of his teenage years with half his face missing. Once more, Bucky watched as she soothingly stroked the man's hand then got to work with cleaning his wounds. After a few minutes, he could see her looking around and realised she needed help. Not missing a beat, he was by her side before he even realised he'd moved.

"What can I do?" he asked.

When she looked at him, it was as if he was just another nurse or doctor. As much as the feeling was odd to him, it also filled him with pride.

"I need you to put some alcohol on the gauze over there and then I need you to pin him down."

Both Bucky and the young man looked at her in confusion but the steady gaze she pinned on him quickly had Bucky doing what she instructed. He soon realised why when she pressed the alcohol to the boy's face and he began to scream. Bucky knew that sound would never leave him, but he held on tighter as the man thrashed beneath him. He could see it was tearing Beth apart to inflict the pain, but as he listened closer, he could make out a soft murmur she repeated over and over both to herself and the soldier.

"It's a healing pain, it's a healing pain, it's a healing pain."

Three hours passed and she finally finished cleaning and stitching the man's face until he now somewhat resembled a human again and not something out of a mincer. The young man had passed out after a few moments and Beth had been grateful, desperately wishing she had the ability to take away some of the pain.

"He's just a boy." She said softly as Bucky came to stand next to her.

"I know. I'm so proud of you. You're so strong." He answered, voice heavy.

She looked up at him, her eyes swimming with tears she refused to let fall.

"Please don't ever turn up on one of these beds. I won't be able to be strong if you do, and I have to be strong. I have to."

She was in his arms in a heartbeat, her face pressed tightly against his chest. She shuddered under him, but her tears still did not fall.

"I promise."

 _ **June 21**_ _ **st**_ _ **1943, London, England.**_

Beth looked blankly at the man in front of her, unable to process that he was really there and had requested her specifically. Beside her, Josh gave her a nudge, but she simply blinked. One minute, she'd been enjoying her time off with Bucky, the next she'd been summoned to the head surgeon's office and come face to face with the last person she ever expected to meet.

"Miss Rogers? Are you on board?"

"O...of course, Mr Stark."

Howard Stark grinned broadly at her and grasped her hand in an enthusiastic handshake.

"Excellent! Well, run along and pack your bags. We leave in one hour."

She nodded dumbly and left the room in a daze. Bucky met her outside her barracks, immediately worried by her expression.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I've just been asked to be a private medic for a mission back in New York. I'm leaving in less than an hour."

"Beth, that's incredible! It shows how skilled you must be!" he gushed.

She sighed, brushing her hair back.

"I know, but it's top secret, which always means bad, it's Howard Stark who's hired me and is flying me home, so who knows what mess I could end up with!"

She moved into her room and began packing, Bucky helping her. suddenly, he stood ramrod straight and turned to her with a dumbfound look.

"Wait. Did you say **Howard Stark**?"

 _ **June 22**_ _ **nd**_ _ **1943\. Brooklyn, New York.**_

Beth stared out of the window, watching her old neighbourhood pass her with new eyes. Though she hadn't seen any of the fighting, her time with the fallen soldiers had deeply affected her and she knew she'd never be able to return to her previous life. She didn't know what she wanted to do instead, she just knew that her previous job filing papers in an office was not her future. All she did know was that no matter what, she would have Steve and Bucky with her every step of the way.

The car halted outside an antiques store and Beth stepped out, thoroughly confused as the soldier accompanying her led her through the doors.

"Wonderful weather we're having." An elderly lady greeted, smile on her face.

Beth gave her a baffled look. The solider next to her fought a smirk as he replied.

"Yes, but I'm always sure to carry an umbrella."

The elderly lady nodded and reached under the counter. A second later there was a click and the back wall slid to reveal a secret entrance.

"Woah."

"This way, miss Rogers."

She followed behind, amazed at the open space behind the shop front, machines towering over her. She couldn't help it; her jaw dropped. A chuckle sounded from behind her and she spun round to face an elderly man with glasses and a sparkle to his eyes that had her smiling.

"It is quite astonishing, is it not?" he asked her.

His German accent surprised her, but she didn't show it, instead returning his smile.

"It is. It's astonishing."

"As is how much you look like your brother."

This time she did show her surprise and he chuckled once more, reaching up to push his glasses further up his nose.

"I am Dr Abraham Erskine. I have come to know Steven very well during his training. You have the same look of strength as he does and your eyes are identical."

For a moment, her lips twitched, until his words sank in.

"What training?" she asked.

His eyes widened and he gave a small cough.

"I accepted him to the army as a recruit for the project we are running here. This project takes a special man and turns him into the extraordinary. Your brother is already extraordinary, so this will turn him into something legendary. This project uses a serum that will transform him from the frail, small man you know to a super soldier. I assume you knew, after all, it's why you are here. Howard thought Steven would appreciate a familiar face and as you are already medically trained, you were the perfect choice."

Her head was swimming. She had fund it strange that she hadn't heard from her brother for a while, but she'd assumed he was simply busy with work now the other men had all left for the military. To find out he'd spent the past weeks training made her feel sick to the stomach. She bent over, gasping for breath, unable to believe her worst fear had come true. He remained oblivious to the door sliding open again behind her.

"Beth?" A familiar voice spoke.

Not thinking, she twisted round, her arms snapping out so her hand connected sharply with the skin of his cheek. Steve stumbled back from the blow, reaching a hand up to touch the site. He looked at his sister in shock, the pain and fear in her eyes enough to make him step forward and gather her in his arms. She struggled briefly against him, before settling, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Jerk." She mumbled, voice hoarse with unshed tears.

"I know." He replied as he squeezed her tighter.

"Ah! Rogers, come over here would ya?"

Steve turned to the voice but met resistance instead, a tug on his hand stopping him from moving. He looked down to see Beth's hand clamped onto his own, her eyes silently telling him he was going nowhere without her. He gave a smile and pulled her with him, her hand tightening further. Her eyes fixed on the back of his head until they stopped in front of an ageing man in an army uniform. Beth felt the man's eyes sweep over her, scrutinizing her, but she refused to return the gaze, afraid that if she took her eyes from her brother for a second, he would go and do something even more stupid than the stupid thing he'd already done.

"Umm, who is this?" the man said, his voice commanding.

"Beth. My sister, colonel." Steve replied.

His tone made Beth look away from his head to the colonel in surprise. It was no news that Steve didn't take well to people pushing him around, but this was someone clearly of authority. The colonel himself seemed surprised and annoyed, but he didn't show it. Instead, he extended his hand to the young woman, forcing a smile on his face.

"Welcome to the mad house miss Rogers."

She was startled out of a smile and took his hand. Steve placed a hand on her back reassuringly. She glanced over at him but before she could speak, another voice interrupted.

"Ah! Beth! Over here please!"

Beth found herself being pulled away from Steve with a panicked squeak.

"It'll be okay!" he called after her, seeing her try to pull herself from the grip of Howard Stark.

She relaxed, letting the older man pull her away. As soon as he released her, she frowned at him, hands on hips.

"There are better ways to get my attention Howard."

Howard looked from the papers in front of him, his expression unusually sombre as he addressed her.

"I know, but the way you were reacting to your brother made it clear there was no other way to get you away from him. You're scared and worried for him, I get that, but right now we need you to be a medic, not a sister. Think you can do that?"

She found herself nodding, looking back to see Steve about to remove his shirt. His eyes met hers and she gave a brief smile. He relaxed, relief and gratitude on his face as she stepped up to the table to check his stats.

"You sure about this?" she asked, still not too sure what 'this' even was.

"Not really," he admitted, knowing Beth was the one person he could admit it to. "But, I have to."

She placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed reassuringly before taking his shirt from him.

"I'll be here the whole time. They try to hurt you, I'm stopping it."

He smirked and she stepped back to allow Dr Erskine access. She shared a look with the scientist, her eyes pleading with him to keep Steve safe, his eyes promising he would. Reluctantly, she moved away from them as the procedure began, her eyes straying to the heart monitor next to Howard. The next few moments were a blur to her, her focus purely on the tiny screen in front of her, her hands gripping the side tighter as she watched her brother's heart rate steadily increase. Suddenly, he began to cry out and the monitor began screaming, his heart rate too fast.

"Stop." She said quietly, but the electric carried on and Steve's shouts grew louder.

"STOP!" she screamed, this time her voice carrying over the sounds around them.

Ignoring Howard shouting her name, she ran to the capsule, halting as Steve begged them to keep going. Her heart clenched, torn between refusal and acceptance but she forced herself back, shaking as the power switched off. It flickered back on, the room silent as the capsule opened. As the steam billowed out, she covered her eyes with her arm, and as she lowered it to see her brother's transformation, her jaw dropped. His eyes opened, locking on to hers, showing his pain and exhaustion. She was quick to snap out of it, hurrying forward to brush past the woman touching his chest, gently but firmly moving her away so she could check on him.

"Are you okay? No sickness, dizziness or anything?" she asked, eyes shining with worry.

Steve looked down at her, shocked that for the first time in his life she was actually smaller than him. In fact, seeing her now and how petite she truly was made him realise how easily she could get hurt. That thought made him dizzy. Before he could open his mouth to speak, a blast rang out, sending everyone to the floor. Beth looked up at the sound of a gunshot, horrified to see Dr Erskine fall to the ground. She watched as Steve crouched beside him and by the time her brother stood again, she knew it was too late. With a quick glance in her direction, Steve was up and running after the shooter.

"Be careful!" she called after him.

She shook her head as he vanished from sight, turning her attention to the occupants in the room brushing glass from their clothes.

"Anybody injured form a line over here. I'm a medic, I can help."

 _ **June 23**_ _ **rd**_ _ **1943\. SSR HQ, New York.**_

Beth hovered over Steve's shoulder as the doctors looked him over. She still couldn't believe the tall, muscular man in front of her was truly her brother, but the kindness in his eyes told her it was him. Less than 24 hours ago, she would have towered over him as he sat there. Now, even when sat down, he was almost as tall as her. She couldn't help but smile; her brother's body was finally as strong as his will and she couldn't be happier for him.

"What is it?" Steve suddenly asked.

"What do you mean?"

Steve reached out and took her hand, his own swamping it.

"I know that look in your eyes. You feel guilty and worried about something."

She sighed, knowing he of all people would be the one to see through her smile.

"I tried to call Bucky last night but I found out he's been shipped to Italy. I also have to head back to London by tomorrow, apparently a new wave of injured soldiers has arrived so they need me back there."

Understanding flooded across his face and he smiled warmly at her.

"It's okay. from what the colonel said this morning, I'm going to be stuck in a lab somewhere until the war's over."

"Steve, you need to adjust to your new body before doing stupid stuff. Leave that bit to me and Bucky for now, okay?"

Hearing the underlying tremor in her voice, he looked up to see her holding herself despite the joke shed made. Sensing the fear she had in knowing Bucky was now heading to the front line, he stood, drawing her into his arms. She went willingly, noting that he was even taller and broader than Bucky, her head barely reaching his chest. She snuggled against him, pleased to find that he still smelled the same despite the transformation. He rubbed her back soothingly, pressing a kiss on the top of her head.

"He's going to be okay. we're all going to be fine." He soothed.

She nodded, unable to let herself believe the words, no matter how much she wanted to.


	15. Battles, Introductions and News

_Hello again everybody. Thank you all for your kind words about my loss, especially to Hannah1704 and racheo91 for your lovely reviews. I thought it would be a while before my next update but as it turns out, everything had already been arranged when I arrived at my nan's and so other than helping to cook dinner, there isn't much else to do but write. As a result, I have written the last 10 chapters to this story, which will bring the total chapters to 27. There's a lot more ups and downs for Beth, Steve and Bucky to experience in this story, and I hope you enjoy._

 _I will aim to update at least once a week, **possibly** more, but not too often as I want to give myself time to write the next instalment, which has about 3 of 20+ chapters completed so far. I'll keep you informed of any progress as I go. For now, enjoy the latest chapter!_

...

 _ **October 12**_ _ **th**_ _ **1943, Azzano, Italy**_

Everything hurt. Despite being in more pain than he'd ever experienced in his life, he didn't complain. Pain meant he wasn't dead. All around him he could hear the cries and screams of his fellow soldiers and he couldn't help but wonder how many of them would end up on Beth's table. He prayed he didn't as it would break his promise to her and he didn't think he could cope with doing that to her. Thinking of her bought a renewed energy to him, then new surge of adrenaline allowing him to push himself to his knees despite his chest burning with every breath he took.

"You alright there, Jimmy?"

He clenched his teeth, glaring at his comrade. He'd met Dum Dum Duggan three days earlier, and the brash man had decided he would be called Jimmy, despite Bucky's protests and pleas. For a moment, he considered shooting the other man, but decided against it. He'd seen too much bloodshed to add to it.

"I'm fine Duggan, just focus on yourself!" he yelled back.

They dropped into a ditch together, joining a small group of soldiers already taking refuge there. The group gave each other welcoming nods, resigning themselves to their fate as the gunfire from their side grew steadily quieter. Suddenly, it fell silent and Bucky lifted his head out to see what was happening. His eyes widened as new forces from the enemy moved into view, their tanks and weapons firing mysterious blue rays that left nothing behind of the soldiers they targeted. As the troops drew nearer, he cast his rifle aside and reached into his pocket to look at the picture he carried with him one last time. His eyes turned glassy as they took in his best friend and soulmate grinning up at him. He memorised their features, embedding the image in his mind before reaching down to place the photo in the pocket of a fallen comrade. He wasn't about to give the enemy any of his weaknesses or any more potential targets. The enemy's troops began to bare down on them and he squeezed his eyes shut, praying for a quick death and begging for Beth to be okay and move on from him to find happiness when she found out about his death.

 _ **October 14**_ _ **th**_ _ **1943, Army Base, Italy**_

Beth was used to it now- the lack of sleep, the constant adrenaline rush and above all, the seemingly endless death surrounding her. For every patient she saved, she lost another eight, but she carried on, telling herself that even one life saved was one less family that had to grieve. It helped keep her sane, especially as she hadn't seen or heard from Bucky since her return to London four months earlier, excepting a single note he'd left on her pillow that stated his love for her, asking her to stay strong. As for her brother, though he wrote to her often, he was never in one place long enough for her replies to reach him in time now he'd been dubbed 'Captain America' and starred in his own stage show. So far, she had managed to stay strong, but as she stepped outside to see five trucks pull up carrying at least fifty wounded soldiers, she felt the strength begin to waver.

"What happened to them?" she asked Dr Edward Hicks, who had gone from being her supervisor to one of her closest friends.

"There was a battle at Azzano. Only these men made it out alive. Virtually the whole of 103rd and 107th are gone, along with some British and French men."

She froze, her body shutting down. Edward looked over at her, worried by her reaction.

"These are the only survivors?" she forced herself to ask.

"That we know of, yes. Are you okay?"

He reached out to touch her arm and she jerked at the contact. Her throat constricted, her breathing labouring and from the months of experience, she knew she was about to have a panic attack. Edward also noticed but before he could force her to take a seat, she shook herself and returned her composure, her eyes settling on the vans. He knew from the way her face became almost inhumanly calm that there was something very wrong with the young woman, but he also knew her well enough not to ask.

"We'd best get started." She stated, her voice devoid of emotion.

She spent the next two days on her feet, moving on autopilot as she tended to soldier after soldier. She knew she had to stop, but every time she tried, she felt herself begin to break and each time, it got harder and harder to claw herself back. Both Josh and Edward grew increasingly worried, but she simply avoided them whenever they tried to speak to her. By the third morning, Beth knew she was ready to keel over, but she still forced herself to keep going, too afraid to ask any of the men if they knew the status of Sergeant James Barnes.

"How long has it been since you slept? You look like a wild animal."

Beth spun to face the owner of the voice to see a vaguely familiar woman standing behind her, a frown on her face as she observed the dishevelled state of the medic. It took a moment for her brain to realise she was the woman who'd arrived with Steve at the lab back in New York.

"No offence, but I really don't have time to stop." She said, continuing to write notes on the chart in her arms.

A pale hand reached out to still her own and she glared at the woman.

"Look, I don't know who you are, but you are really starting to overstep here. You need to…"

"I don't need to do anything Elizabeth, but you need to stop because I can see you're barely holding it together right now and if you don't stop, you're going to end up making a mistake and killing someone."

Beth sighed, allowing the woman to take the pen from her.

"Who are you?"

The woman smiled at her, brown eyes crinkling at the corners, her red lips a stark contrast to her pale skin.

"Peggy Carter. I'm an agent with the SSR and a friend of both Howard Stark and your brother."

"You were at the lab when Steve got the serum." Beth said, remembering the way the English woman had paced her hand on Steve's chest as he all but fell from the capsule.

"I was. I oversaw Steve's training and helped pick him for the programme. He is a remarkable man."

Beth didn't fail to see the fondness in the agent's eyes, but couldn't bring herself to smile. At the mention of her brother, she forced herself to swallow the pain inside once again.

"Why are you pushing yourself so hard? You should slow down; you need a break." The agent said.

"I can't. there's too many injured men needing help right now."

Peggy waved her hand, showing the room to be empty.

"You've treated them all. You can stop."

"I can't. there's checks, charts, medication, cleaning, much more to do."

"The nurses can take care of all that. You should sleep."

Beth finally snapped, spinning to face the agent with watering eyes.

"I CAN'T!"

Peggy stepped forward to grasp the blonde's shoulders.

"Why not?" she asked, her voice gentle.

Beth broke, unable to hold the tears back any longer.

"Because every man that has come through this tent is a part of the 107th regiment and not one of them was Bucky! If I stop, it means I've given up hope that he's alive. If I stop, I've as good as abandoned him! I. Can't. S…st…st…"

She broke down, Peggy gathering her into an embrace. As she held Beth, she looked over to see Edward watching them and mouthed 'sedative' to him. He nodded and came over, injecting Beth with the clear liquid before she knew what was happening. She looked up at the sharp pain, betrayal in her eyes as she fell asleep.

…

When she woke the next morning, Beth groaned, clutching her head. She sat up, the world spinning as she took in her bearings and realised she was in her tent.

"I have water and painkillers."

Slowly, she moved her head to look at the brunette holding out a small glass and two white pills. Beth took them gratefully and sighed as the cool liquid hit her throat.

"I'm sorry I asked Edward to do that to you, but you were on the verge of a complete breakdown and it was the only way to make you sleep." Peggy said, before Beth could open her mouth.

Beth gave a sigh and sat back on the bed, indicating for Peggy to take a seat.

"It's okay. I knew I was heading that way but it was easier to keep going than to think that Bucky…"

She broke off, her eyes straying to the photo she kept on her nightstand of herself, Steve and Bucky, the two males with an arm each round her. Peggy placed a hand on one of Beth's, smiling compassionately.

"You can't give up hope. We have reports that a number of soldiers were actually taken prisoner, so he may still be alive."

Beth gave a jerky nod, reaching up to wipe her eyes. When she looked back at Peggy, her usual strength was back in her gaze.

"You're right. Besides, I would know if he died. I'd feel it."

Peggy nodded, standing from the bed and reaching out a hand. When Beth took it, she was pulled to her feet and ordered to dress. As she moved to her dresser, she gave the English woman a questioning look.

"May I ask why you're here?"

"The SSR is setting a base up here. We're trying to track down a group called HYDRA that is being led by a man named Johann Schmidt, and we think he's based near here."

"Oh. I actually meant my tent and why you sought me out."

Peggy blushed slightly and Beth gave a chuckle.

"I know how much Steve cares for you. He was always talking about you and Bucky and how proud he was that you're one of the first female medics in the army. I promised him I'd keep an eye on you if I ever saw you and I like to keep my promises."

Beth gave her a scrutinising look and Peggy looked away uncomfortably.

"You care for him, don't you?" she asked, seeing the same look on the agent's face she knew she had when talking about Bucky.

"Greatly." Peggy admitted after a pregnant pause.

Beth walked up to the woman and Peggy was surprised to find herself pulled into a hug.

"Thank you."

Beth's words held a weight to them that threatened to unravel Peggy, so she stepped out of the embrace and cleared her throat.

"I understand you're talented as a medic and Dr Hicks has been in talks to train you to be a surgeon, but how would you like to become talented in other skills?"

Beth raised an eyebrow.

"Like what?"

 _ **October 27**_ _ **th**_ _ **1943, Army base, Italy**_

She wished she hadn't asked as yet another fist hit her face. Raising her hand to wipe away the blood, she glared up at the other woman.

"Do you have to hit quite so hard?" she complained.

"Well I hardly think the enemy would hold back their punches because you're a girl."

Without warning, Beth swung her leg out, catching Peggy by the back of the knees and sending the agent crashing to the ground, a gun pointed at her head a second later.

"Bang. You're dead. You're also right, they wouldn't hold back." She grinned, noting the astonishment on the brunette's face.

Peggy's own lips quirked up in response and she chuckled, accepting the hand Beth held out to her. behind them, somebody began clapping and they both turned to see Colonel Philips standing there. Peggy quickly brushed the dust from her clothes and saluted him.

"Colonel" she greeted.

"Hi." Beth said, smoothing her hair back from her face.

The colonel looked from one female to the other, his face impassive.

"Agent Carter, go clean yourself up." He ordered.

Peggy hurried out of the tent, casting a supportive glance over her shoulder at Beth. The colonel waited until Peggy had gone before turning his attention to an obviously nervous Beth.

"That was quite impressive. You should think about changing specialities, we'd be happy for another woman in the SSR."

"Thank you sir, but I like being a medic. Hicks has even suggested putting me forward for a surgical programme so I can be a fully trained surgeon."

The Colonel couldn't help but smile at the eagerness on her face, but it didn't last for long as he knew the next thing he said would greatly ruin her mood.

"Miss Rogers, I have some news."

Beth stopped reaching for her glass of water and slowly looked up at him.

"No, you don't, because he isn't dead."

It was no news that the young woman was stubborn and extraordinarily loyal to her brother and partner, but he was surprised by this level of defiance.

"I'm sorry, but I do, and it isn't good."

He reached into his pocket, drawing out a crumpled piece of paper and held it out to Beth. With trembling hands, she took it, one hand reaching up to her mouth as she laid eyes on the smiling faces of Steve and herself staring up at her.

"This was found in the jacket of one of our soldiers. There was no other identification on him, but he had brown hair, blue eyes and his jacket had sergeant stripes on the shoulders."

Her breath hitched, but Beth didn't cry. She held the photo against her chest and squeezed her eyes shut.

"No. he isn't dead. He probably planted it on another soldier because he didn't want the enemy knowing about us. He's alive, I just know it."

The colonel shook his head at her refusal to accept the truth. She saw the look of worry in his eyes and narrowed her own.

"I know I'm being both delusional and irrational, however, if I let myself believe he's gone, I will break down and you will have to send me home when right now, you need every medic you've got."

He studied her for a moment, realising that he had the same reluctant admiration for her as he did her brother. The strength in both of them was unlike anything he'd ever seen and it was the only reason he gave her a brief nod, accepting her words. He left the tent and Beth moved her gaze to the picture, trying to ignore the fact the soldier Philips had described sounded like Bucky. Her hand clenched, crumpling the image further.

"He isn't dead."


	16. Don't Even Think About It

_**November 2**_ _ **nd**_ _ **, 1943. Italy.**_

The commotion among the nurses made Beth's head ache. It was hard enough that she was posted alongside the 107th after they had been hit and harder still when Bucky hadn't returned with the men no matter how hard she prayed. She'd just finished assisting Edward with his current patient and stepped out of the tent, wiping her hands on a towel. She was exhausted and since beginning her surgical training, it had gotten worse. When another van pulled up with more wounded soldiers, she all but swayed on the spot, thinking of the hours it would take to treat them. Edward came up behind her put a hand on her shoulder.

"Go and take a break. You deserve it." He said gently.

She gave him a nod, promising to be back by the end of the day and began making her way back to her tent. A loud, excited squeal from one of the nurses had her scowling.

"What on earth is going on?" she asked angrily.

"Did you not hear? Captain America himself is here! You just missed his performance but rumour has it, he's staying a few days!"

The towel dropped to the floor and Beth took off running towards the tents the nurse pointed towards. Part of her was hurt. Why didn't he tell her he was coming? Unless he had but the letter just hadn't reached her in time. The other part of her was excited at the prospect of seeing him again as it had been almost five months since the last time.

As she approached, her heart soared to see him sitting under an awning, talking to Peggy. Suddenly, he shot up and raced over to the general's tent and her heart dropped back down like a stone. She jogged over to avoid getting drenched, quietly entering the tent behind Steve as he asked for Bucky's status. As the general announced Bucky's assumed death, she wrapped her arms round herself and fought not to go to Steve, seeing that he wasn't quite ready to give in to grief. He asked about a rescue mission and she forced herself not to lash out angrily as the colonel called him a chorus girl. She grit her teeth and the colonel ignored her as he exited the tent. She kept her eyes on Steve, seeing him studying the map and this time she did say something.

"Steven Grant Rogers, don't you even think about it." She said, her voice stern.

He spun to face her so quickly, she was sure he'd given himself whiplash. Despite the sorrow in his eyes, his face lit up and in two strides she was in his arms. She ignored everyone around them and let out a gleeful laugh as he spun her round, her arms flinging round his neck. He held her tightly and she felt his shaky breath on her neck, knowing that in that moment, he was drawing strength from her. It didn't matter that he was now a giant compared to her. For so many years, he'd relied on her physically for strength and she turned to him for emotional support. Now, their roles had reversed and she was more than happy to fill the role. When they separated, she saw the pleading look in his eyes and found herself swallowing a lump in her throat.

"Is it true? About Bucky?" he asked, his voice begging her to tell him it was a lie.

"The fact the regiment was attacked is true, but I refuse to believe he's dead. I'd feel it."

The fierce refusal in her voice made Steve stand straight, determination in his eyes as he turned his gaze back to the map.

"You're going to try and find them, aren't you?" she asked, looking at her brother with concern in her eyes.

"I have to."

She held his gaze, nodding in understanding.

"I know. I can help."

"No. I need you to stay here. God knows what I'll find out there, and I can't drag you into that kind of danger."

Beth took a seat, rubbing her head with her fingers. Steve took the moment to truly take her in, noticing that despite the fact she looked tired, she was vibrant. Her hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, a few strands managing to escape and fall into her face, and she wore the same clothes as the men around them; dark green pants, olive t-shirt and a pair of boots, all stained with blood. She looked like a hardened soldier, not the innocent young woman she'd still been the day of his transformation. She looked up, feeling his gaze on her and gave him a puzzled expression.

"You look different." He commented, a sheepish smile on his face as he realised he'd been caught.

She chuckled, settling further into the seat and waving a hand at him.

"Look who's talking, goliath."

He barked out a laugh and moved to sit on the chair next to her. when she reached out a hand, he took it, holding it tightly in his lap as she rubbed his skin with her thumb.

"You're right though. I have changed. I don't think I'll ever be able to go back to our old life after this."

Steve made a noise of agreement.

"I know. Peggy told me you're being trained up as an actual surgeon now. Think you'll continue after the war?"

"I hope so. At first, I wanted to run home screaming, but now, I can't see myself doing anything else. I've already been offered two jobs once we're back to civilian life."

Steve's eyebrows rose in surprise and she smiled, a blush spreading across her face.

"Edward, my trainer, has his own hospital and he's offered me a place on his team once I'm certified. I've also been offered a position with the SSR as a medic and agent."

The second one shocked him to the core and if he hadn't been sitting already, he certainly would be now. Beth saw the expression on his face and sniggered, leaning over to rest her head against his shoulder.

"I know, it's a shock to you, but it's not to me. the past few weeks, Peggy has been teaching me how to fight and a few of the soldiers have helped teach me not only how to fight but also how to shoot. In return, I've been teaching them basic first aid and that's why the colonel approached me."

"Wait, the colonel asked you?"

He couldn't believe it, not from the colonel he knew anyway. He was dumbstruck and could only sit there, staring blankly at the little sister he'd finally realised was no longer little. In the same way he'd found his calling, she'd found hers and pride swelled in him.

"If only mom could see us now."

"Somehow, I always think she knew we were going to do big thigs. Remember the night she died?"

He nodded, remembering her last words all too well. He sighed, his head falling back on to the chair.

"When are you going to leave?" Beth asked, her voice quiet.

"Tonight."


	17. Return

_As always, thank you for your reviews and love! Hope you enjoy once more! For those wandering, M+B was a medication used before penicillin became widely used, mainly for treating infections. I've thoroughly researched war time medicine as well as normal surgical techniques, so I hope I haven't made any errors!_

 _ **November 4**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 1943. Army Base, Italy.**_

Two days. Two days since Steve left and Beth was growing more and more concerned, especially after she'd stepped out of her tent that morning to see Peggy looking at the camp gate with unhidden worry. When the agent had returned two nights previously, the whole camp heard colonel Phillips yelling at her and when Beth had sought her out, her eyes were pink, betraying the fact she'd been crying despite her smile. She'd avoided Beth since, and Beth allowed it, knowing guilt was eating the agent. Beth didn't lose hope, even when given the news that they were all being shipped back to London the following evening. She had only hours to prepare and the whole time she packed her suitcase, she prayed her boys would come back to her safe.

"Miss Rogers, a word." The colonel called, spotting Beth as she exited her tent.

She jogged over to him, heart sinking to see the look on his face.

"You're declaring him dead, aren't you?"

"I'm sorry. A base nearby was destroyed two nights ago and there's no reports of survivors."

She nodded, walking away from him stiffly. In a daze, she made her way to the medical tent and began slowly packing away the last few supplies they had left. She was so lost in her thoughts, she initially missed the stirring of the camp around her. It wasn't until she heard the sound of applause that she finally took notice. She poked her head out of the tent, immediately noticing the whole camp surrounding a small group of men. A flash of blue caught her attention and she gasped, the tray of utensils she was holding falling to the floor with a loud crash. She didn't hear it, already halfway across the base, pushing and shoving everyone out of her way. She was so close she could hear Steve's voice. She was about to call out to him when another voice shouted, grinding her to a halt, everything seeming to freeze.

"Three cheers for Captain America!"

The men around her roared, breaking her from her lull. She pushed forward once more, her vision blurred from tears, but she didn't care. She ignored the protests and complaints as she none-too-gently elbowed through the last few men and when her eyes landed on Bucky, her knees threatened to collapse.

After hearing all the cheers, Bucky and Steve shared a grin with each other, neither quite believing the situation they were in. a second later, Steve looked over Bucky's shoulder and nodded to his best friend. Bucky already knew instinctively and turned to catch Beth as she threw herself into his arms, her legs winding round his waist as he crushed her against him. She heaved great big sobs as she clung to him and not caring about the audience, he dropped to the ground so he could pull her even tighter against him.

"I knew it." she mumbled over and over again into his shoulder.

Bucky stroked her hair, oblivious to the stares and cheers from the men around them. When she finally lifted her head to face him, he took her chin in his hand and pressed his lips against hers, letting his lips relay everything he wanted to say. She returned the action, tears sliding down her cheeks as she continued embracing him. When they came apart, he pressed his forehead against her own, unable to tear his eyes from her own.

"They kept saying you were dead, but I never lost hope."

"I'm not going anywhere sweetheart."

Any other time, the term would have been sarcasm coming from Bucky, but Beth knew that this time, he meant it with all sincerity, which made her kiss him once more. A cough from above made them both look up to see Steve standing there with a look of happiness on his face. Though reluctant to let go of Bucky, the urge to embrace her brother was too strong and she jumped up, flinging her arms round her brother in a tight embrace. She parted with him much quicker, the action followed by a swift punch to the jaw. The whole camp fell abruptly silent as Steve took a step back, raising his arms in surrender. Beth stepped closer, eyes blazing.

"TWO DAYS! TWO DAYS I WAS WORRIED SICK ABOUT YOU, STEVEN GRANT ROGERS!"

A pin could be heard dropping from the silence that followed. Steve slowly lowered his hands and held out the communications device that had been destroyed. Beth eyed it and gave a frustrated snort, flinging her hands up as she turned to walk away, muttering about 'Stupid men' as the soldiers around her cleared a path, eager to avoid making her angrier by getting in the way.

"Well, she's certainly a firecracker." Dum Dum spoke, his voice breaking the silence.

"Yeah. She's my sister and Bucky's gal." Steve replied, smiling fondly as she came stomping back to them a second later, only to grasp Bucky's arm and drag him to the medical tent.

"Make sure all the injured soldiers are bought back here and someone go and wake Edward and Josh please."

Dum Dum glanced over at Steve and grinned widely at the look on the younger man's face.

"Well, I sure do pity you boys." He laughed.

Steve chuckled alongside him.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't change a thing about her."

Dum Dum nodded, silently agreeing with the man he'd begun to bond with on the journey home. Something about her made him like her off the bat, and he wasn't one to ignore his gut.

"Sit and take off your shirt." Beth said to Bucky once they were inside the medical tent.

Bucky smirked, his eyes shining playfully as she began bustling about, gathering supplies.

"If you wanted me naked, you only have to ask."

Her head whipped round, a dark look on her face that had him snapping his mouth shut and pulling his shirt off without another word. When she came back to his side, her expression softened as her eyes swept over the massive bruising and numerous cuts and scrapes marring his skin.

"What did they do to you?" she asked, more to herself, but he heard.

"They tried to kill me and when beating me didn't work, they decided to experiment on me. far as I know, I'm the only one who made it out of that room alive."

She gasped, touching his shoulder tenderly. He tensed, hissing out a breath as pain flared through him from the contact and she gave an apologetic smile.

"Sorry. I need to know exactly what they did so I can patch you up."

He opened his mouth to protest, but one look at her changed his mind. He told her everything, from the beatings, to the illness and finally, everything he could remember from the lab, which, if he was being honest, wasn't much at all. She listened to his every word as she checked his vitals, storing everything in her mind so she could return the favour to this 'HYDRA' when she had the chance. Pleased that his injuries were minor, she turned her attention to his chest, frowning to hear a rattle. Feeling his skin, he was too warm and it was then she noticed his eyes had become glassy. Clearly being out in the elements for two days straight hadn't helped his illness. Gently, she pushed him so he was laying on the bed and she reached down to stroke his cheek, her hand grazing the stubble growing there.

"You need M+B treatment and some painkillers. Stay here tonight and I should be able to discharge you in the morning."

Bucky gave her a confused look as she proceeded to insert a cannula into his arm.

"Isn't it doctors that can discharge?" he asked, his voice rough as he gave in to the pain he had fought against the past couple of days.

She nodded, flashing him a grin.

"You've been gone a while. Since I last saw you, I've begun training as a surgeon. Because we're in a war and desperate for doctors, I've been granted honorary status as one and with it, I get all the privileges. Now, you need to rest and I should see to these other men. I'll see you soon."

She leaned down to place a kiss on his cheek but when she turned to leave his hand took her own. She looked back at him, seeing that though his eyes were heavy with sleep, he didn't want her to leave.

"Makin' sure you're real." He mumbled, his words slurring as sleep finally overcame him.

She brushed his hair from his head, rubbing his skin soothingly as she watched him slumber.

"I'm real, and I'm not letting you leave me again."

The corner of his mouth twitched and she smiled, planting one last kiss on his face before turning her attention to the other soldiers in the room.


	18. The Team

_Hey all! Hope you liked the last one! This chapter is just a bit of fun as we get to meet the Howling Commandos!_

 _Thank you once again Lara Barnes for your review and to everyone for the adds and favourites!_

 _..._

 _ **November 7**_ _ **th**_ _ **1943, London, England.**_

Beth breathed a sigh of relief as she exited the building. The past few days had been a whirlwind of emotions and action. With the return of Steve and Bucky, preparing the injured men for transport and then heading back to London, there had been barely any time to breathe until finally, Edward had forced Beth and Josh to take a few days to recuperate. For Beth, it meant spending time with Bucky and Steve and she ran over to the room they were sharing on the barracks, flinging the door open without warning. She stopped dead as her eyes landed on a shirtless Bucky, water dropping from his hair to trail down his skin. He looked at her in equal surprise and she gave a squeak, spinning so she was facing the door to give him privacy and hide the blush.

"Beth, we're going to be together a long time. At some point you're going to see my chest so you may as well start getting used to it."

"No you may not!" Steve called from the adjoining bathroom, his voice muffled by the wall and running water.

Giggling, Beth chose to turn back to Bucky, though she kept her gaze from straying to his chest. He frowned and walked over to her until his skin was pressed almost against her, forcing her to look. She gulped, shakily raising a hand to press it against him and he bit back a groan as she stroked against one of his pecs. Beth bit her lip, forcing herself to step back and look him in the eye.

"Are you happy?" she asked teasingly.

He leaned in to capture her mouth with his own, a broad grin on his face.

"I am now" he admitted with a wink, moving back to his bed as Steve walked in with a towel wrapped round his waist.

Being her brother, Beth was used to seeing him dressed as such, but it was the first time since his transformation that she'd seen him topless and she couldn't help but whistle.

"All the ladies will be fighting over you from now on, that's for sure." She laughed.

Steve blushed as he began to dress. He mumbled something quietly and Beth grinned wider, her sharp hearing picking up the words she knew he hadn't meant to be understood.

"I just want the one."

She sidled over to him and gently nudged his side, leaning down so Bucky couldn't hear her next words.

"Peggy Carter?" she asked, her voice sickly sweet.

He spluttered, eyes widening as she smugly smirked at him. His face turned a darker red and she patted him on his back reassuringly.

"It's okay, your secret's safe with me." she promised.

She glanced over to see Bucky sending her a questioning look and shook her head, silently telling him she wasn't going to tell him this time. He playfully pouted and she smiled. She dropped down on Steve's bed, covering her face with his discarded shirt so she could talk to them as they dressed.

"The guys want to go to a pub tonight." Steve informed them both.

Intrigued, Beth was the first to answer.

"Really? And you're okay with going?" she asked him.

"Yeah, apparently it's just a bar. No dancing."

Beth laughed and nodded as Bucky took the shirt away from her face, signalling that he and Steve were dressed.

"I'm in. Wait, what guys?"

…

The guys, as it turned out, were a small group of soldiers rescued by Steve. The five of them, along with Steve and Bucky, had been the least injured and malnourished out of the survivors and had clubbed together to help get everyone back safely. When they'd returned, colonel Phillips had addressed Steve, asking if he would lead a small team to take down HYDRA. Steve had immediately approached Bucky, who in turn suggested the group of men now sitting around the table listening to Steve's proposition. Beth remained next to Bucky at the bar in the adjoining room, but by the sounds of laughter and clinking glasses, she assumed the result was a positive one. A moment later, Steve joined them and Bucky smirked up at his best friend.

"See, I told you they're all idiots."

Steve snorted in amusement as he took the seat Beth offered him. She gave them both a peck on the cheek, excusing herself to give them a moment alone. When she returned, she saw Peggy leaving the building wearing a knock out dress and by the look on Steve's face, she'd definitely made an impact. Beth brushed down her own skirt, the material a dark shade of blue. She hadn't bought many luxuries with her, and this was the nicest skirt she owned, along with the only blouse she had that hadn't somehow ended up in ruin. As she drew nearer to the pair, she heard Steve talking to Bucky.

"I've turned into you" Bucky whined.

Steve slapped him on the shoulder with a grin.

"Maybe she's got a friend." He jested.

"I heard that." Beth said, clipping the back of Steve's head as Bucky wrapped his arms round her.

The trio laughed until Jones approached them, the rest of the guys in tow.

"Hey, there's a dance place two doors down, you three in?"

Bucky looked to Beth, who nodded. Seeing her excitement, Steve sighed and shrugged.

"Okay, but don't expect me to dance."

Beth flung her arms round him, pecking his cheek before grasping both his and Bucky's arms to follow the group. Once at the dance club, it didn't take long for each of the group to find a partner, leaving Steve, as usual, to watch over the table and their drinks. Bucky turned to smile at Beth, who was looking at the floor with a nervous expression.

"What's wrong?" he asked, bending down so she could hear.

"It's been so long since I had any fun or danced, I think I've forgotten how. I want to, but I feel guilty for wanting to."

Bucky laughed and grabbed his beer, drinking half of it in two gulps. Placing the glass back on the table he looked to see hurt in Beth's eyes. He quickly realised she must have thought he was laughing at her and immediately felt bad. Slowly, he reached out and took her hand in his own. Her eyes flickered to his and he smiled.

"Well, if the lady wants to dance, let's dance. Don't feel guilty. You've done so much to help; you deserve to smile."

He swept her onto the dance floor and within seconds, had his arm round her as he spun them both round to the music. Beth burst out laughing at the goofy expression on his face and his own smile deepened, a joy he'd never before felt filling him at seeing her happiness. They danced for a few songs, and when a slower one came on, Bucky wasted no time in pulling her closer, his hands lacing together on her back. She rested her head on his chest as they swayed, heart light.

"I'm guessing it would be pointless asking you not to join the team?" she asked him after a few moments.

He kissed the top of her head before replying.

"Kinda. Will you still be mine if I do?"

She could hear the underlying fear of rejection in his voice and raised her head to look him in the eye.

"I'll always be yours Bucky."

His eyes closed, relief washing over him in a tidal wave. Beth smiled warmly and embraced him once more. her mind began plotting and by the time they returned to camp and she kissed Bucky goodnight, she had a plan.

The following morning, she made her way to the SSR headquarters, determination on her face. the receptionist, a pretty blonde lady with big brown eyes, informed her the general was busy, so she took a seat, watching as Steve found himself pressed up against a wall by the blonde woman, her lips on his. She stood, ready to intervene when Steve took the woman's shoulders and pried her away from himself. It was too late and Beth groaned as Peggy turned and walked away, hurt and betrayal on her face. Steve looked over at Beth to see she was glaring at the receptionist.

"Beth, what are you doing here?" he asked her.

"It doesn't matter. Right now, you need to get to your meeting and you need to try and apologise to Peggy because that woman feels a lot more than you men seem to think she does." She snapped back, her eyes never straying from the other woman.

As he retreated to the back room, Beth stepped forward and faced the other woman.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" she demanded.

The other woman turned white, fumbling for her words.

"I… didn't think…"

"Save it." Beth cut her off. "Get away from me and stay away from my brother because if I see you near him again, I can't be held accountable for my actions."

The woman nodded and scurried off and Beth gave a sigh, hoping Peggy and Steve could still have a chance at happiness.

"That was impressive."

Beth smiled at the colonel as he walked up to her and he returned the gesture with his own. Over the past weeks, she'd come to know him and though she found him brash and unforgiving, he was loyal and cared deeply for his men.

"Thank you, Colonel."

He pointed towards the room Steve had disappeared into, motioning for Beth to follow. As they began walking, he spoke.

"So, what is it you want to speak to me about Miss Rogers?"

Beth took a breath before answering.

"I want to accept your offer to become an agent for the SSR, but I have one condition."

"Unless you can guarantee me that your brother and sergeant Barnes won't be too focused on you to do their jobs properly, it's a no."

Beth let out a huff of air, unsurprised that he'd figured out her condition. After all, it was no secret that the three of them would do anything for each other, as Steve had already proven by wandering into the heart of enemy lines to save his best friend.

"Yes, they will worry about me, but I know them; once they see my abilities and as long as I stay within relatively close proximity of them, they will focus on their mission. I'm asking for a chance."

The colonel pause at the entrance to the room, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"I'm inclined to say yes, but only if they both agree. I'm not putting you on the team behind their backs and have them whining at me like little girls. No offence"

Beth pursed her lips, but agreed to his terms. Bracing herself, she stepped into the room, only to duck as the sounds of gunshots filled the air. Seconds later, she heard Peggy speak.

"Yes, I think it works."

Beth held back a laugh as the agent walked away from a terrified looking Steve. She couldn't help but giggle as Howard moved to stand next to him, both men in stunned awe as Steve mentioned his ideas for the uniform.

"I think you angered her." Beth commented, sidling up behind the pair of them.

They both jumped, spinning round with shocked expressions. Had it been any other scenario, she would have laughed at two men jumping out of their skins at a woman half their size, but seeing the hurt on Peggy's face removed any traces of amusement from her. Steve straightened himself and showed her the shield, asking what she thought.

"I like it. it's better than those." She said, pointing to the ones laid out on the bench.

"Hey! I worked hard on those!" Howard protested.

"They're cumbersome and way too over the top." She shot back.

Sensing an argument, Steve stepped in and gave Howard his uniform sketches, before taking Beth's arm and dragging her away.

"You okay?" he asked her.

"Not really. How could you be so stupid and let that woman kiss you?"

"I didn't know that's what she was going to do!" he hissed.

Beth sighed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of her nose before she got a headache. This was not how she wanted this conversation to start.

"I know. I'm sorry, I'm just a bit stressed out."

Steve placed a hand on her shoulder, rubbing it comfortingly.

"It's okay. I'm sorry too. Now, I'm assuming you wanted to talk to me?"

She nodded, suddenly nervous because she knew if he said no, there was no chance of getting in to the team.

"I accepted the job offer from Phillips." She told him, voice steady despite her nerves.

She knew from the darkening of his eyes that it took him less than a second to realise her true reason for taking the position.

"Beth…"

"Steve, please. Even if I don't fight, I can be the team medic. It means I can stay with you and Bucky. plus, I can fight. I know how to use weapons and I'm getting really good at hand to hand combat. I can do this."

Steve studied her, admiring her courage. He had no doubt about her medical skills, but the thought of letting her go into danger with him was deeply unsettling. The thought of her dying or getting hurt without him being there, however, was more so.

"Okay. but, you are a medic first and foremost and will stay back to provide cover fire should we need it. Am I clear?"

Beth gave an excited squeal and threw her arms round him, hugging him tightly. At the other side of the room, colonel Phillips watched as they were joined by Bucky, who looked surprised then overjoyed by the news. He shook his head, his eyes soft.

"Those three are going to be a force to be reckoned with." He muttered to himself.


	19. Christmas Time

_Finally, the story is going to pick up a lot more pace and we get to see the group's first Christmas together!_

 _Thank you again for your reviews, favourites and follows!_

 _..._

 _ **December 15**_ _ **th**_ _ **1943, Vichy, France**_

Guns blazed as the doors to the HYDRA facility were blasted open by the team. Far back, Beth watched them through the scope of her rifle, taking down a soldier about to shoot Morita. Morita flashed a grateful smile over his shoulder and Beth chuckled to herself as she scoped out any more potential targets. An hour later, the group returned and she began wordlessly handing out magazines and new weapons to those who were empty. Bucky blew out a breath as he leaned tiredly against Beth.

"This is tougher than I thought." He admitted.

Beth grinned and shoved his shoulder playfully. Steve watched them with amusement, but didn't join in as he was too busy planning the next stage of their ambush.

"Okay. we need to split up. Jones and Dernier, head round the back with Duggan. Falsworth, you're with me. Bucky, stay back with Beth and both of you stop anyone from coming in through those doors. Everyone clear?"

The group nodded, each person moving to their station. Beth moved aside to give Bucky space and he dropped down beside her, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. She was already in position, her face like stone as she held her rifle in place, scoping any of the enemy. The site was so peculiar to him that he almost failed to notice something moving behind them. Twisting, he raised his rifle and fired at the HYDRA soldier. He gave a sigh and shook his head, forcing himself to focus, though it was still odd seeing Beth, the most compassionate and loving person he knew, with a rifle in her hands. Despite the strangeness, the site made him fall in love with her further. He always knew she had a concrete strength about her that she'd always kept hidden away, and though he hated the war, he couldn't help but be grateful that it allowed both Beth and Steve to truly become the people he knew them to be and show the world they were not weak. Without having to hide her wild nature, Beth could allow herself to enjoy the adrenaline and show everyone that she was not afraid to fight.

"Bucky, focus." She said, her voice, though laced with warning, containing laughter as she noticed his distracted expression.

He smirked and lay beside her, his body a warm comfort pressed against her own. They took down another eight soldiers when there was an explosion, sending a fireball up into the sky. Beth's jaw dropped and she lowered her weapon. Feeling her body tense, Bucky lowered his rifle to lift a hand to the back of her neck, the touch a soothing caress.

"That's Steve's signal to say we've cleared the base, remember?"

Letting the momentary panic fade, Beth blew out a breath of air, nodding stiffly.

"Yeah, I know. You're right."

He grinned as he lowered his hand and they fell into a comfortable silence as they waited for the others to return. Beth kept feeling Bucky's eyes on her and glanced at him questioningly after the third time.

"You've changed so much. Back home you were quiet but high spirited and always smiling. I don't even think you're the same person as before."

She looked away from him and he almost missed her downcast expression.

"Oh."

His eyes gentled and he reached out to make her look at him.

"Hey, I didn't say it was a bad thing. Look at your mom; you've always been like her but kept pushing it down to fit in with everyone else. This Beth, the one I'm looking at now, she is the real Beth. The old Beth was the one I fell in love with. This Beth is the one I want to spend forever with and who I've fallen completely and totally head over heels in love with."

Something wet dropped on his hand and he realised she was crying, but when he looked closer, he saw they were not tears of sadness. The look she was giving him was one of joy, her smile radiant.

"Do you mean it?" she whispered.

"Every word."

The intensity of his eyes took her breath away, but before she could lean in to kiss him, the sound of voices drew near, indicating the return of the others. Beth quickly pulled away, wiping her face so they couldn't see she'd been crying. As they drew closer, she noticed her name was being called, followed by the sounds of someone crying out in pain. She bolted to her feet and grabbed her medical kit before jogging down the incline to meet them, Bucky on her heels. When Steve laid eyes on her, he gave a relieved sigh.

"What happened?" she asked, seeing Jones drop to the floor clutching his side.

"When the building blew, some shrapnel pierced him."

She nodded and dropped to the ground, forcing Jones to remove his hands so she could see the wound. Bucky joined them and they all looked down as she undid their comrade's jacket and tore his shirt to give her access to the injury. Not only had he been impaled, the metal had clearly been red hot, the skin already blistering. In unison, the group let out noises of horror and disgust at the sight. Despite feeling queasy herself, Beth swallowed it down and rounded on them so fast, they all stepped back.

"No- you don't get to do that! He's injured enough without you lot making comments and noises like that. If you can't handle it, leave. If you think you can stomach it, then keep your mouths shut and help, or so help me!"

She turned her attention back to Jones. He didn't speak, but she saw the gratitude in his eyes. She placed a comforting hand on his cheek, her smile matching the gesture.

"Okay Gabe, I have to clean the wound and get this shrapnel out of your side before I can treat the burn. It's going to hurt, and you are going to scream. I'm so sorry."

Gabe flashed her a sardonic smile in response.

"It's cool, doc. Do what you gotta do."

Beth nodded and in a move surprising everyone looking, unclipped his belt and removed it. She folded it in half and placed it in front of his face.

"Bite down on this. Last thing you need is to break your teeth or pierce your lip."

He nodded and bit the material. Someone crouched next to her and she was surprised to see it was Falsworth.

"What do you need?"

She flashed him a thankful look as she replied.

"Ideally, I need someone to hand me equipment, someone to hold a flashlight over the wound and someone to hold him still. Most important though is the flashlight so I can see better. Somehow I don't think those guys are up for helping."

She indicated to the rest of the group, who were all still sporting grey and green faces. Without hesitating, the Brit reached into his belt and withdrew his flashlight, positioning himself so she had more light. Beth pulled out a pair of surgical gloves from her bag along with a pack of sterile water. She snapped on her gloves when she suddenly remembered something she'd left in her bag.

"Dammit. Falsworth, can you hand me a set of clamps and a scalpel please?"

"Here."

Beth let out a sigh and kissed Bucky's cheek as he sat on the other side of her, her bag open and in his lap so he could reach everything quickly. A third person joined them, grasping Jones's shoulders so he couldn't move.

"This okay kiddo?" Dum Dum asked.

"Hold him a little lower. If he jerks too hard he's likely to dislocate the shoulder with the way you have him." She instructed, nodding approvingly as he altered his grip.

Bracing herself, she hesitated for only a second before ripping open the water and pouring it on the wound. Gabe stiffened but remained stationary and she let out the breath she'd been holding. Next came the part she was dreading. To remove the shrapnel, she had to make the wound bigger. Steadying herself, she picked up her scalpel and slowly began cutting an incision into his skin. He let out a guttural scream, his back arching off the floor and Beth grit her teeth as she fought to keep her hand from shaking.

At the sound of their team mate screaming, Dernier and Morita quickly put aside their feelings and dropped down to help hold their friend who was trying to thrash. Steve turned at the second cry, but Beth's head snapped up at his movement, eyes like steel.

"We need someone to keep watch for any HYDRA soldiers we may have missed."

He gave an understanding nod and turned his attention to the area surrounding them, letting Beth return to the task at hand. One more cut had the wound open enough for her to see clearly that the majority of the shrapnel was surface damage, however two shards had gone further in, one dangerously close to his liver. She quickly removed the smaller shards until only the two remained. The first came out after one attempt, but when she reached for the second one, Gabe managed to break free of Dernier's hold, his back lifting off the ground, sending the shard into the wall of his liver. He let out a roar and Beth's eyes widened.

"Bucky, clamp and suture kit!"

He wasn't sure what they looked like but he saw a small metallic object that looked like it would hold something together and Beth took it without any protests, so he assumed it to be correct. He looked back in the bag, trying to block the barely muttered 'dear God' from Falsworth as the Brit saw the blood and other fluids quickly filling their friend's side. His hand brushed against a small pot and he pulled it out, giving a triumphant shout when he read 'suture kit' on the side. He opened it for Beth and turned to face her, his expression blanching as he looked down at the sight of Beth wrist deep in Jones's side, her face grim.

"Don't you dare pass out on me, James Buchanan Barnes." She snarled, noting the way his face had turned grey.

He gulped, shocked that she'd called him by his proper name. However, it was the kick he needed to bring him back and he handed her the kit she asked for. She took it and made quick work of patching up Gabe's liver. There was no other way to remove the blood, so Beth muttered an apology to Gabe and thrust her hand into the wound once more, the man's eyes rolling in his head as he cried out, almost biting through the belt at the agony ripping through him. Beth began muttering, each member of the team silently echoing her words.

"Pass out, pass out, pass out."

Thankfully, a few seconds later as Beth began using gauze to clear away the last of the blood, Jones finally succumbed to unconsciousness, though everyone stayed in place in case he woke up again. It took another hour before she put the last stitch in place and sat back on her heels, rubbing her head with her sleeve.

"You can let him go now."

Everyone relaxed, looking at her with various expressions of pride, awe and gratitude. Beth removed her blood stained gloves and dropped them on the floor, her hands finally starting to shake. She stood unsteadily, making her way to the tree line behind them and promptly bent over, the contents of her stomach spilling to the ground as she finally allowed her body to react to the sight of one of her friends so hurt. Steve was beside her in a second, rubbing her back as she continued retching. Behind them, the others shared looks of worry. Dum Dum turned to Bucky.

"Is she okay?"

Bucky shrugged, as confused as the rest of them. He finished packing away the equipment she'd been using and made his way over to the siblings, watching as Beth accepted Steve's water canister to wash out her mouth.

"I'm okay. I've just never had to do an operation on a friend or without anaesthetic before." She assured, seeing him open his mouth to ask.

He pressed his lips together and held his arms out. She came to him willingly and he placed a kiss on the side of her head as he enveloped her in his warmth.

"You did brilliantly."

She smiled against his jacket, his scent soothing her. Once she was calm enough to focus, she pulled away, returning to the group with a smile. She was greeted with grins and cheers, Dum Dum slapping her on the back.

"No doubting it now, you're definitely one of us missy!" he boomed, the sound of their helicopter ride home almost drowning him out, but Beth heard and her heart soared.

...

Ten days later, the group along with Peggy, the Colonel, Howard Stark, Josh and Edward, all came together to celebrate Christmas. Dum Dum and Bucky had designated themselves the cooks, with Steve and Beth sharing looks of concern, both remembering Bucky's disastrous attempts at 'cooking' back home. Their only reassurance was the promise from Dum Dum that he had been in charge of the thanksgiving and Christmas meals for his own family for years and wouldn't leave Bucky unattended. They all congregated in the rec room, and Jones, who was still recovering from his injury, had been bought down in a wheelchair for the day. Everybody was in high spirits and Bucky couldn't resist kissing Beth every time he walked past her, much to the delight of everyone else who cheered and the embarrassment of Beth who blushed each time.

"He really loves you." Howard said to Beth a while later, having watched them looking tenderly at each other a few minutes earlier.

Her eyes lit up as she nodded.

"He does, and I love him. I was in love with him a while, and my mom is the one who helped me realise he was the one for me. There was a period that we didn't speak after I became engaged to somebody else, but as you can see, it worked out in the end."

Howard inclined his head to take a sip of his whiskey, watching once more as she stood and dragged Bucky to her, the guys cheering once more. He couldn't help but feel slightly envious of the sergeant, but just for once in his life, he wasn't about to try and pull her away from him; he had too much respect not only for her and the solider, but was also afraid of what Steve would do to him if he did. He couldn't deny their happiness and seeing them together made him smile. Steve's voice broke him from his thoughts.

"You could be the last man on earth and she'd still see through you. She and Bucky are blinded to each other. It was a rocky road to begin with, but now, I can't imagine them apart."

Howard looked up at the super solider to see him looking at his sibling with a raw tenderness that as an only child, he wished he had more experience with. He stood and clapped Steve on the shoulder.

"It's a shame really. She'd have made a great Stark." He winked.

Steve laughed, shaking his head as he took the glass the other man held out to him.

"She'd eat you alive."

The pair laughed together and joined the remainder of the group who were beginning to hand out gifts. As they were in a war and there was a lot of them, they had opted to only buy presents for two other people, chosen by drawing names from a hat. To her amusement, Beth had drawn Bucky and Steve, however after Dum Dum jokingly protested that she'd be buying gifts for them anyway, she'd gone again and pulled Dum Dum and Howard's names. That one had stumped her; what do you buy the man who could buy anything he wanted? She'd thought long and hard, until she'd come up with the perfect gift. She gave it to him and when he opened it, he burst out laughing, not stopping until he ran out of breath, tears running down his face.

"What is it?" everyone asked him when he finally caught his breath back.

Still grinning, he pulled out a booklet Beth had lovingly created for him, entitled 'The most eligible Bachelorettes in the world; a guide for a billionaire who has only one thing missing in his life: a boss.'

The room erupted and Howard gave her a hug, thanking her for the thoughtfulness. He was genuinely touched and was determined to buy her something special for her birthday next month. They continued opening their presents, Dum Dum also laughing at his gift from Beth; a small, round teddy bear with fur the same colour as Dum Dum's hair and a moustache and outfit identical to his. The creation had everyone laughing once again and Beth found herself being asked for replicas from the guys in her team. Even the Colonel asked her for one, to her astonishment. As for Beth, the first gift she received was a set of notebooks and pens from Falsworth.

"I've seen how many you've gone through this month alone with your surgical notes. I thought these might last you a little while."

Surprised by his observation, she thanked him and opened her gift from Peggy, which turned out to be a tube of red lipstick and a bottle of mascara.

"I've never seen you wear makeup. I wasn't sure if it was because you didn't like it or because you didn't bring any, so I asked Sergeant Barnes who informed me you do like to wear it when you go dancing. A quick inspection of your room told me it was the latter, so I thought I'd assist."

Beth frowned at a grinning Bucky then turned back to Peggy, wrapping her arm round her, surprising the other woman who was more than happy to return the embrace. Bucky disappeared into the kitchen with Dum Dum a while later and they all gathered round the tables they'd pushed together, eager to eat. As they went to take their seats, there was a shout and Bucky ran from the kitchen, the turkey flying out of the room after him. Everyone looked at him in shock as Dum Dum came out brandishing a frying pan.

"He put vinegar on the dam bird instead of the baste and didn't turn the vegetables on, so they're still raw!"

As the majority of the room looked at each other in various degrees of annoyance and amusement, Beth and Steve shared a look, seconds later collapsing onto the floor in peals of laughter as Bucky's kitchen curse struck again.


	20. Missions and Mayhem

_Hi again everyone! Apologies for the slight delay, I've been down with a bad chest infection the past week and haven't been up for anything really! Still, I amback long enough to post this before heading back to bed!_

 _I'm overwhelmed by all the lovely reviews from the last chapter and a special thank you to Amberdeengirl187 for your awesome reviews!_

 _On with the next, where we get to see Beth in fighting action. I hope I've done well. Beth isn't used to fighting so I hope I've made her fighting style realistic of someone who is new to this but who is determined to do well!_

 _..._

 _ **20**_ _ **th**_ _ **January 1944, Rochefort, Belgium.**_

Beth raised her rifle, cursing as the metal of the bracelet Howard bought her for her birthday slid up her arm. She was too scared to remove it because she knew it had to cost a fortune, but it was beginning to get in the way when she needed to focus. Cursing him for buying her something so valuable as it did it again a few moments later, she gave in and lowered her rifle to take it off and hide it in the pocket of her trousers, grateful it had a zipper to keep it safe. She smiled, returning to her position at the edge of a small cliff face and picking up her rifle once more. Through the scope, she watched as their team moved closer to the building, gunfire erupting within seconds of them vanishing from sight. Next to her, Bucky's comforting presence disappeared with a yell and she twisted round in time to see him punch a HYDRA soldier who'd come too close to comfort. Despite the fact they were far back, it seemed HYDRA had figured out their tactics and had sent a small group to take care of the pair of snipers.

"Keep shooting!" Bucky yelled over his shoulder as he fought another soldier.

Halting halfway through standing up, she dropped back down to a crouch. She kept her gaze forward, covering for the others, until something slammed into her. Her rifle dropped over the cliff edge and she barely stopped herself from following it, throwing herself to the side at the last second. The person slammed into her again and she growled, grasping the material of her attacker's jacket and using her weight to fling him over her shoulder, successfully sending him over the edge. She barely had time to recover and move away when there was a shout from Bucky as another soldier rushed her. The impact sent her to the floor with a grunt, her head hitting the ground hard. The soldier wasted no time pinning her down and she gasped as his hands wrapped round her throat. As the air was cut off from her lungs, she reached up, trying to claw at his face and hands, but he held on. Black spots began to fill her vision and she knew she had to do something soon or she was dead. Dropping her arms, she fumbled around until her hand found the zipper of her pocket. Using what little strength she had left, she grasped the bracelet, making sure the charm was pointing outwards before wrenching her arm up so the makeshift weapon connected with his skull. A sickening crunch filled the air as the charm sank into his temple and he slumped over, his hands letting go of her throat. Air rushed into her lungs and she sucked in greedy gulps, coughing from the release of pressure. Seconds later, Bucky flew over to her, roughly shoving the unconscious soldier off her and gathering her into his arms. She held on tightly, tears she wasn't even aware of leaking down her face as her breathing returned to normal.

"I thought you were a goner." Bucky confessed after letting her go.

Beth reached up to rub her throat, wincing at the tenderness of the skin.

"Me too. Remind me to kiss Howard for buying me that bracelet." She replied, still shaking from the shock.

He chuckled and kissed her head tenderly. When the rest of the group arrived a while later, they all noticed the marks on her neck and immediately bombarded the pair with questions. For three days, an argument ensued about her safety and whether she should leave the team, only for Beth to shut them all up when she found out by reminding them that without her, Jones and Morita would both be dead. Reluctantly, the men stood down and she smiled smugly before walking away to find Howard. She owed him a kiss.

 _ **19**_ _ **th**_ _ **February 1944, Olomouc, Czechoslovakia**_

She saw the soldier about to shoot Steve, but knew she didn't have enough time to reposition her new rifle in time to stop the inevitable. She reached out and grasped Bucky's arm, knowing he had also seen it and was unable to respond quickly enough either. Thankfully, Steve saw and his shield was slammed into the soldier's head a second before the shot rang out. Beth gave a choked sound of relief and Bucky moved his arm to take her hand and squeeze it.

"He's okay."

"I know, but even though it's been months, I still see him as that frail, sickly person."

Bucky gave one last squeeze before letting go to shoot another soldier creeping up on Jones.

"I know. I do too."

Beth gave a smile as she returned to her own rifle, taking down another two soldiers. It wasn't much longer when she spotted a second HYDRA soldier attempting to shoot Steve, only this time, she knew he hadn't noticed and she'd just shot her last bullet. She opened her mouth when the soldier dropped from the ledge, a bullet in his skull. Steve turned in surprise and looked back at Beth and Bucky to send a salute to whichever one of them fired the bullet and beside her, Beth heard the sound of Bucky expelling the empty shell to join the pile next to him.

"Thank you." She said to him as she reloaded her weapon.

"Don't mention it. He's my brother too."

Beth knew she was grinning like a mad woman as she continued firing at the enemy, but she didn't care. Every time she thought she loved Bucky as much as was possible, he would say or do something to prove her wrong. Sometime later, when Beth's arms had gone numb from holding her rifle up for so long, Steve gave the signal that someone was hurt and they needed Beth. As much as she felt guilty, she was relieved to give her arms a rest. She reached for her backpack and glanced at Bucky, whose steel focus was on the building.

"Cover me?" she asked him.

"Always." He replied, his voice deadly calm.

Beth began her descent to the others, almost tripping on a tree root as she neared the bottom of the ravine. She jogged over to Steve, keeping watch for any HYDRA soldiers. When a body suddenly dropped in front of her, she gave a surprised squeak before sending Bucky a thumbs up. As she reached Steve, her brother asked if she was okay and she chuckled.

"Do you really think I'd be anything but okay with Bucky up there watching my back?"

Steve grinned and ushered her inside, revealing a HYDRA soldier lying on the floor, blood gushing from his chest.

"We need him alive. He had documents on him that suggests he knows more."

Beth nodded and crouched next to the soldier, who looked at her with a defiance she hadn't expected. She soon realised why when she looked at his wound and saw a shard of glass had pierced his skin, entering his heart. If she left it in, he'd die in a few moments. Any attempt to remove it and he'd last seconds at most. She stood, shaking her head at Steve.

"He's beyond anything I can do. I'm sorry."

He looked downcast but still gave her a thankful smile as they walked outside to join the others. Beth heard a noise behind her and turned to see the solider drop to the ground, a bullet hole in his forehead. When Bucky ran over to them a few moments later, he was grinning and swooped in to kiss Beth.

"I love this rifle. This rifle is now and forever my lucky charm because it let me save your life twice." He gushed as he let her go.

Beth giggled and pulled him in for another kiss, showing him how much she appreciated the saves.

 _ **30**_ _ **th**_ _ **April 1944, Randers, Denmark.**_

Bucky was nervous. Scrap that, he was terrified. For the first time since they grouped together, he was the one at the vantage point with the Johnson rifle that was now officially his and Beth was the one on the ground, taking part in the close combat. Not being close to her was putting him on edge and it took everything not to march down there and drag her away. He was also angry with everyone. This mission had been planned for weeks, yet he'd only been informed that morning of the part of the plan involving Beth. The building could be accessed through a series of pipes and after surveillance revealed them to be too small for the men to climb through, Beth had volunteered. Steve agreed only because she'd proven herself as capable as any of them, but she'd made them promise not to tell Bucky as she knew he would have the strongest reaction. She was right; he'd all but screamed at her that morning and as she left to complete her part of the mission, he hadn't failed to notice she was on the verge of tears.

"Dam it." he growled when there was no sign of anybody five minutes after the time they were supposed to return.

He waited another five minutes before standing, the blast from the building exploding sending him back to the ground with a thump. He scrambled up once more, his heart stopping. That hadn't been part of the plan. He was about to run to the site when he heard laughter coming towards him. Less than a minute later, the team appeared and he glared darkly at them as they approached, Dum Dum ruffling a grinning Beth's hair. She herself seemed unharmed until she turned, revealing a black eye that had his teeth gritting. The smiles on their faces dropped one by one as they caught site of Bucky's expression and he flung an arm out angrily at the burning building behind him.

"Care to explain that!?" he yelled, face red with anger.

Slowly, they all looked at Dernier, who simply shrugged.

"Boom. Fun." He said after a moment.


	21. The Perfect Night

_Hi again! Update time! I kind of love and hate this chapter. I love it because I think it's the best thing I've written yet, but I also hate it because of what's coming in the next chapter. Still, II do love it and hope you do too._

 _Also, be warned: this chapter is LONG. I just didn't want to split it into two! So, I hope you don't mind!_

 _As always, thank you for your support, reviews and adds!_

 _..._

 _ **January 11**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 1945. 107**_ _ **th**_ _ **army base, Austria.**_

Laughing, Beth spun in front of the tiny mirror in Peggy's hand, her skirt whipping round her. Though it had been a last minute dash around the nurses begging for clothes, she had been successful and could honestly say she hadn't felt more beautiful. Knowing that this time, she was with the man of her dreams may have also had something to do with how she was feeling and to anyone who knew her, the happiness in her eyes only made her joy even more radiant.

"Oh Beth, you look simply mesmerising!" one of the nurses, an older woman named May, gushed.

"It's not fair, that dress looks much better on you than it did on me!" another nurse, Cathy, moaned, though the grin on her face said her words were only teasing.

Beth stopped spinning to gaze at herself once more. Staring back at her was someone she barely recognised, but who she could definitely see herself being more often. Ruby red lips smiled back at her, her golden waves let loose to cascade down her spine, coming to a stop mid-waist. Her figure was being hugged by a deep blue velvet dress, the skirt gracefully falling to mid-calf, swinging with every movement she made. On her feet were the pair of shoes her mother gave her the last time she went dancing with Steve and Bucky; the only luxury she had brought with her. She could hardly believe the woman was truly her, and a small part of her knew that Bucky was going to be knocked off his feet when he saw her. She saw Peggy smiling warmly at her.

"What?" she asked.

"You truly look beautiful." The other woman replied.

Any response Beth had was cut off by Dum-Dum's voice booming through the tent, telling her they were leaving in five minutes with or without her. Rolling her eyes, Beth reached for the coat yet another of the nurses had loaned her and pulled it on, fastening it quickly so the surprise wasn't ruined for Bucky. She stepped out of the tent, pausing to wave at the group who all responded with smiles and calls that she was a lucky girl.

She made her way across to the truck she could see Steve standing by at the other end of the camp, but didn't get far when she heard a wolf whistle. She suppressed a groan and turned to flash the soldier a smile, only to find he was standing right behind her, far too close to her for comfort. She stepped back instinctively, noticing that he had a small group of other soldiers with him. Choosing not to react, she turned back to the truck and continued on her way.

"Come on honey, dance with us!" he laughed.

The laugh was accompanied by a sharp slap to her rear. Growling, she spun and using the training Bucky, Peggy and the others had given her, swung her fist to collide sharply with his nose. He dropped to the floor, gripping the injured appendage and Beth gave a smug smile as the men around them erupted in cheers and applause. One of the voices sounded as familiar to her as her own and she found herself engulfed in a strong pair of arms, a kiss fondly pressed to the top of her head.

"I was going to do that." Bucky said, indicating to the soldier still on the ground.

Laughing, she turned so she was facing him and grinned broadly. His face remained serious as he fought not to jump on the solider and finish what she started, but she could also see the twinkle of amusement in his eyes. Reaching up, she gently bought his face down to hers and kissed him softly, ignoring the whistles from the other soldiers. Bucky simply flipped them the finger and smiled warmly down at her as they parted.

"Come on, hot stuff. I wanna go dancing. After all, tomorrow is a big day." She said, standing on tiptoes to murmur in his ear.

"Yes ma'am." He said with a wink.

She looped her arm through his and he led them through the camp to meet with the rest of the team. Dum Dum was the first to spot them and nudged Falsworth in the side.

"Aww, look at the lovebirds."

Steve heard the other American's statement and looked up at his sister and best friend. Though he wanted to hate the thought of his sister with anyone, he couldn't help the warm smile on his face to see how happy the pair was. The group wasted no time in climbing into the truck and before long, they were heading down the road. After laughing and congratulating Beth for taking care of the soldier, they all fell into a comfortable silence. Bucky, who was sitting next to Beth, entwined his hands with hers and she felt the familiar warmth seep through her. He leaned over and brushed a piece of her hair aside, the inner male pride in him growling in delight at the shiver she barely suppressed from his touch.

"I didn't get to say how beautiful you look tonight, doll."

Fighting the butterflies that erupted in her stomach at his fleeting touch and soft words, she composed herself and gave him a smile that was both knowing, smug, and something distinctly feminine that he couldn't place.

"Just wait until I remove the coat" she whispered back.

This time, he was the one that shuddered and she sat back in her seat, inwardly cheering that just for once, she was the one to knock him off guard. Steve had watched the exchange and though he hadn't heard their words, the look on Beth's face as she sat back was enough to make him chuckle, earning a smirk from his sister and a glare and muttered 'shut up' from his best friend.

By the time they arrived in the town, the truck seemed to be buzzing with nervous, anticipating energy. For the majority of the group, it was the usual electricity they had before any of their missions, but for a select few, it was deeper. As she saw the women waiting to enter the dance club with dresses of much nicer fabrics and designs than hers, makeup flawlessly done, Beth began to worry that maybe she wasn't as dressed up as the others had let her believe and that maybe one of these women would make Bucky realise he'd made a mistake. Steve couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong about the whole mission, the feeling growing every moment until he wanted to abort the whole thing. As for Bucky, he could barely take his eyes off Beth, worried as usual about her safety, but also terrified that his plan for tonight would fail and leave them both broken hearted.

The truck finally slid to a stop and they piled out, quickly making their way to the club in a big huddle to shake off the cold from the snow surrounding them. As Bucky gave the cloakroom attendant his coat, Beth was helped out of her own by Steve, who couldn't help but stare at her in amazement as she stepped out of the fabric. Bucky turned to retrieve her coat from Steve, but the moment he laid eyes on her, time stood still. He even forgot to breathe until a sharp nudge in the side from Jones had him suck in a gasp of air.

"Wow." Was all he could say, but Beth heard the thousand other unspoken words and emotions, and her heart melted.

"I told you." She whispered as she stepped into his arms.

"Yeah you did, but I never expected that."

He saw how she glanced around at the women around her and a mixture of understanding and disbelief flooded through him. Understanding because of how casually he'd been about dating beautiful girls back home, disbelief that she would think that any of the women in the room could hold a light to her. He voiced his last thought and her eyes swam with unshed tears of joy. Not wasting anymore time, he swept her onto the dancefloor and within minutes the pair were oblivious to everything except themselves and the music around them.

As the final song of the night played, Beth found herself wishing it would never end. She had never felt so complete; her brother was healthy, she had a strong group of friends and her head was currently rested on the man of her dreams chest, his arms firmly wrapped round her as they swayed, silently telling her he was never letting her go. The moment had to end eventually and she found herself grudgingly pulling away from him as the last note faded. He kissed her cheek and watched carefully as she made her way through the crowd to meet Steve at the entrance, glaring at anyone who so much as glanced appreciatively her way. He shoved his hands in his pocket, finger sliding over metal, reassuring him that it was still there and he took a few seconds to compose himself before following her out. He hustled to the truck and almost cursed when he was informed by Steve that they were still waiting for Falsworth and Morita. Bucky offered to find them, but Steve shook his head and nodded toward Beth who was sitting in the truck shivering. Bucky slid in to the vehicle and wrapped his arms round her, smiling when she leaned into him.

Minutes passed and Bucky felt Beth's breathing even out, signalling that she'd fallen asleep. Steve finally returned with their missing comrades, the pair drunkenly stumbling in to the truck, banging loudly against the side. Bucky glared at them as he felt Beth startle awake, and the pair had the decency to look sheepish even as they fought the childish urge to giggle like a couple of girls at the bleary expression on the female's face. She rolled her eyes and snuggled back in to Bucky's chest, but this time she didn't fall asleep. Steve slid in behind the wheel and not before long, they were back at the base. Steve called out after them to be ready to leave the base at 0600 or there'd be hell to pay. He turned to look back at his sister and best friend and gave Bucky a smile that screamed 'Good Luck'. Bucky smiled in return, ignoring the questioning look on Beth's face.

"What was that about?" she asked.

"What?" he asked, his tone innocent.

"I know both you AND my brother about as well as I know myself. I know when the pair of you are up to something."

The smile fell slightly on Bucky's face and Beth found herself surprised to see that a nervous look replaced it. Opening her mouth to apologise, she instead found herself saying something different.

"What is it?"

He looked away from her for a second, and when he returned his gaze back to her she was relieved to see his usual confidence there, though he was definitely nervous, and it was putting her on edge. Sensing it, Bucky jumped out of the truck and held out his hand for her own.

"Walk with me?" he asked.

"It's freezing!" she protested, but it came out as a laugh as he pulled her out of the truck and into his arms so he could carry her across the worst of the snow to put her down on the footpath. The moon shone down on them, turning Beth's eyes an arctic blue that had Bucky swallowing down a sudden lump of emotion. Unable to speak in fear of saying something stupid instead of what he wanted to say, he reached up and gently caressed her lips with the pad of his thumb, his other hand reaching to cup the back of her head.

"God, I love you Bethie." He murmured as he gazed down at her.

Even if she had been able to speak before, words failed her now. Yes, he'd said it to her before, but this time it felt different, as if it was a promise, a vow. Swallowing, Bucky let go of her face, his hands sliding down to grasp her own.

"I mean it. Without you being mine these past few years, I don't know how I would have gotten this far through the war. It was wanting to keep you safe that made me join, you that gave me the will to live when I was caught, your courage that supports me through our missions and most importantly, your love that makes me want to have a family and grow old with you."

He slid down to the ground, pulling out a simple gold ring that held a stone of deep red at its heart. Garnet, her birthstone and her favourite of the precious gems. Only Steve and her mother knew that, and she suddenly understood the look Steve had given Bucky; Bucky had clearly asked for her brother's blessing. She could only stand in stunned silence as he continued speaking.

"Bethie Rogers, will you be my gal for the rest of our lives?" he asked, his confidence growing with every word as he watched her eyes grow more and more joyous.

She couldn't help her first reaction; she burst out laughing. Bucky stared at her in surprise as she doubled over, and found that he couldn't decide if he should be amused or offended.

"Only you would propose by calling me Bethie and asking me to be your gal rather than the traditional 'will you marry me!'" she said, laughter still in her voice.

She flung her arms round him, sending the pair of them tumbling to the snow. Only his quick reflexes saved the ring from dropping to the ground and he let out a relieved breath when he realised he had successfully caught it.

"Yes, Bucky! As if I would ever say no to you when I've loved you since we were children!"

At her words, he broke out in a wide grin and after pulling her off the ground, placed the ring on the finger of the hand she held out for him and pulled her head to his to bring their lips together. When they parted, she gazed up at him with love and a look he couldn't describe.

Beth had already planned this part of the evening before the surprise proposal, and now decided even more so that it was the right time. Taking his hand, she pulled him through the camp until they reached the medical tent. She knew it was going to be empty; they currently had no injured soldiers and the nurses she worked with had assured her they would have it empty by the time they returned. She let go of him and he gave her a confused look as she hurried to close the tent flap behind them.

"Beth, what are you do…"

Her lips against his own cut him off and it took every ounce of strength to gently pry her away from him.

"Why are we here Bethie?" he asked gently.

Instead of answering straight away, she slipped her shoes off and slowly removed her coat before facing him once more.

"Tomorrow, we will be doing the single most dangerous mission yet. I've been wanting to do this for a while now as there's no knowing when or even if we will ever get the chance again. Until now, I haven't found the right moment, but now, I know this is it."

As the last word left her lips, her hands touched his shirt clad chest and Bucky jumped. He'd been so absorbed in her words, he hadn't even noticed her drawing closer. Warmth pressed against his jawbone and he shuddered, electricity jolting through his body in a caress that had him desperate for more. Groaning as he felt her smile against his skin, he shuddered once more as lips he decided she'd inherited from the deepest place of bliss made their way up to his ear. He refrained from touching her, afraid that she was simply caught up in the moment and wasn't truly thinking, but when her teeth grazed his earlobe, her hands sliding under his shirt until her skin scorched against his own, he realised she was more than willing and her words were true- she really had been planning it for a while.

"Let me love you." She whispered, and those four words snapped the final thread of restraint in him.

Without warning, he crushed her against him, his hands thrusting into her hair as his mouth crashed on to hers. His kiss was rough at first, until her hands stilled on his chest and he forced himself to remember that this was new to her. Slowing down, he released her hair and caressed her back through her dress, smiling at the effeminate sound that came from her throat as one hand skimmed the side of her breast through the fabric. He did it once more, placing a kiss on her throat at the same time and her knees threatened to buckle. He caught her and kissed her throat once more.

"Bucky" she moaned, her tone pleading.

Slowly, he moved his hand further down, stroking her stomach before sliding it under her skirt to the waistband of her pantyhose. He grasped them and managed to pull them down enough so she could finish the job and kick them off. The moment she was free of them, she began unbuttoning his shirt, sliding it off him so she could rake her hands freely over his chest. When her nails scraped along his abs, he sucked in a shaky breath and she gave him a sultry smile that sent shivers through his body. She did it again and he retaliated by reaching up to grasp at her breast, this time a gasp from her his reward.

Deciding she'd had enough teasing, she stepped back and in one movement, pulled the dress off so she was clad only in her underwear. Bucky struggled to breathe as he took in her beauty, the softness of her skin causing his pants to grow extremely tight and uncomfortable. It took only seconds for him to alter that and Beth suddenly felt a wave of uncertainty wash over her as she laid eyes on all of him for the first time. Sensing it, Bucky took her chin and kissed her.

"It's not too late" he said.

She was silent for a few seconds and he thought that maybe she had decided against her idea when he felt her arms move behind her to unhook her bra. The material fell to the ground and she stood back to slide out of her panties before moving back into his arms.

"Yes it is" she replied, pushing him gently on to the bed.

Long after Beth had fallen asleep tucked up in his arms, Bucky found himself gazing down at her and couldn't help but think he was the world's luckiest man. Not only had she said yes to marrying him, she'd given him her heart, soul and body. His eyes raked over her skin, pausing as the moonlight glinted on the ringed hand gently resting on his bare chest. She was officially _his_ Bethie. Tilting his head slightly, he kissed her nose, smiling warmly as she crinkled it in her sleep. He sighed, knowing they should move, but unable to make himself wake her. Instead, he felt his eyes close, his arms tightening further around her, making a silent promise to both her and himself.

Once they had Zola in custody, he was dragging her to the nearest church and marrying her. After tomorrow, she would be his wife, and nothing was going to stop him.


	22. One for Sorrow

_All I can say about the response to my last chapter is wow! I can't believe how overwhelmingly positive you all have been and it's so humbling!_

 _Okay, so please don't hate me for this chapter! It IS emotional. I actually hate writing ones like this because it's too easy for me to put myself in the frame of mind of the character ad I always end up crying. I find it's when I write best though, so I hope you agree._

 _On with the show._

 _ **January 12**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 1944. 107**_ _ **th**_ _ **Army Base, Austria.**_

Waking up, Beth found herself pressed up against something warm. She raised her head and gave a broad smile to see Bucky's sleeping face, the smile widening further as she raised her hand to stare at the ring placed on it. She couldn't believe that last night truly wasn't a dream. She was officially engaged to Bucky Barnes and she didn't think she could ever feel happier.

As if reading her thoughts, Bucky stirred beneath her and his arms wrapped tighter around her. He let out a happy moan as she pressed against him, her lips grazing his chest.

"Do that again and we aren't leaving this bed." He mumbled.

She giggled and kissed his lips this time, eyes sparkling with an emotion he knew he was the first and would forever be the only person to see. The thought made him grin back at her and pull her closer to him.

"We really need to get up." He whispered against her lips.

Though for the moment, there were no sounds of anybody around, he could see the sun was about to rise, and with it, so would the soldiers. Beth let out a groan of protest, but slid off him to reach for her clothes, knowing he was right. Bucky's breath hitched as she moved over to their discarded clothing, having to close his eyes before the sway of her hips made him do something they would regret if they were caught. Beth glanced over her shoulder and couldn't help but snigger at the controlled expression on his face. She quickly threw her dress on and after a quick kiss, jogged over to the tent she shared with Peggy. The British woman was already awake and gave her a smile that said she knew exactly what the young woman had gotten up to the night before. For the first time, Beth blushed.

"Congratulations" Peggy said, nodding to the ring.

The blush faded to be replaced with a smile of pure joy. Peggy returned it with her own and continued to do so as the American waltzed around the tent, preparing for the mission. It wasn't long before there was a tap on the side of the tent and Morita's head poked through the flap.

"Hey, it's time."

Beth gave him a nod of acknowledgement and reached down to pull on her boots. As she stood, she found Peggy standing behind her and gave the older woman a questioning look.

"Be careful okay? We're so close to finishing this."

Beth wrapped her arms round Peggy, the other woman gladly returning the embrace.

"I will. I just want this war over so I can go home with my brother and marry my fiancé."

Peggy laughed and followed Beth to the awaiting Commandos, both women laughing at the site of Morita, Dernier and Falsworth all leaning against the vehicle with various looks of discomfort.

"Morning gents, drink well?" Peggy greeted.

All three groaned and Falsworth glared at her. Beth sniggered once more, smile widening as a familiar pair of arms wrapped round her from behind. Sighing, she leaned back and rested her head against his chest, feeling his own sigh of contentment blow over her hair. Despite the moment, she could also feel the tension in him and knew he must be feeling the same way she had been all week.

"You're worried too, aren't you Steve?" She asked.

She felt him nod and turned to wrap her arms round his waist, kissing his cheek.

"Yeah, I just feel like we shouldn't be doing this." He admitted.

"What makes you think that? Could it be the suicidal plan to zip wire to the train? Or maybe the fact that it could easily be a trap?" she replied, her tone teasing.

Steve couldn't help but snigger and tightened his grip before letting her go. As they parted, Dum Dum suddenly pointed at Beth, his voice booming as always.

"Hold it little missy! Is that an engagement ring?"

At once, the entire group turned their attention to Beth, who stood dumbfounded, unable to move. Next to her, Steve broke out in a wide grin. An arm slid round her shoulders and lips kissed her cheek, making her blush.

"She certainly is guys! No more trying to steal her as she is officially my girl!" Bucky called over.

The next thing Beth knew, she was engulfed in numerous arms, with kisses pressed all over her face, congratulations boomed in her ears and cheers and pats on the back threatening to make her dizzy. Glancing over her shoulder, she could see Bucky receiving the same treatment. Finally, they backed off and it was with lighter steps and renewed energy that they loaded up the truck. Steve turned to face Beth and Bucky, to see the pair smiling at each other warmly, arms wrapped round each other, and couldn't suppress his own smile. He made his way over to them and pulled them both into a hug.

"I'm so happy for you both."

The trio held each other for a long moment before the colonel called out that they had to leave. As soon as they pulled apart, they all fell into their 'mission mode' and climbed into the truck. The ride to their rendezvous point was silent, as each member checked their weapons and made sure they knew their part of the plan. Bucky finished his checks and looked over at Beth, once more smiling at the site of her bent over the map in Steve's hand, one finger tracing the lines of the track.

By the time they were in the Alps, staring down at the train tracks, Bucky was beginning to get the same sinking feeling in his stomach as Steve and Beth, though his was for entirely different reasons. As everyone took their positions around him and Beth crouched down next to Steve, Bucky made his way over to his best friend.

"Remember when I made you ride the cyclone at Coney Island?"

"Yeah, and I threw up." Steve responded.

Beth sniggered at the memory and Bucky absentmindedly reach down to stroke the top of her head, oblivious to the small smile on her face at the simple action.

"This isn't payback, is it?" he asked.

Steve immediately replied.

"Now why would I do that?"

This time, Beth laughed out loud and Bucky shook his head in amusement.

"You were right. Zola's definitely on the train. HYDRA dispatch gave them permission to open up the throttle. Wherever he's going, they must need him bad." Jones said, breaking the moment.

Beth stood from where she was crouched and walked over to the group. Bucky's hand intertwined with her own as always and she held on tightly, more so than usual. This was it, they could finally capture one of the major players of HYDRA. Without saying a word, Steve glanced at Bucky and put on his helmet as he moved over to the zip wire. He, Beth, Bucky and Jones each grabbed a set of handles and they prepared to drop down on to the train. Bucky looked over at Beth, wordlessly asking her if she was sure she was okay to do it, and the look she shot in return made him grin.

"I have this." She grumbled in his ear.

"Just checking sweetheart." He replied.

"Better get moving bugs!" Dum Dum called out, cutting off her retort.

One by one they jumped off the cliff. Heart in her mouth, Beth decided this was the most insane thing she had ever done and as she began shooting towards the train, she had to fight not to scream. This wasn't a ride at the carnival, this was very real and if the slightest thing went wrong, they would die. That included screaming and giving them away. The train drew closer and she sucked in a breath, wanting to close her eyes as she let go of the handle but forcing them to stay open. She dropped heavily onto the metal below and flattened herself down, seeing that the others had done the same thing. The second she did, the other three all snapped their heads round to check she'd made it and despite the wind whipping around them, she could almost hear the collective sighs from her brother and fiancé. She stood up and shakily followed them down the length of the train, until Steve jumped onto the ladder at the final carriage. Jones let her pass him before he took sentry position and Bucky helped her down the ladder, following after her.

As the two men made their way to the end of the carriage, Beth raised her rifle and stood guard by the door they entered. The sound of a door sliding open had her instinctively running to the back of the carriage and Bucky open fired on the soldiers before they could take her out. It was only after she'd hidden behind some metal boxes that she realised Steve had been separated from them ad she let out a curse. Of course it couldn't go smoothly when it mattered. Not missing a beat, her gunfire joined Bucky's and she managed to take down three HYDRA soldiers. In the next carriage she could hear gunfire, but knew she couldn't risk looking to see if Steve was okay. Heart pounding, she continued firing, letting out a yelp as two shots hit the wall behind her inches from her head.

"Are you okay?" Bucky called from opposite her.

She nodded and surprising herself, calmly shot another soldier that was about to take out Bucky. It didn't take long for them to both run out of bullets and their rifles were discarded. Knowing he had a clearer shot, Beth slid him her handgun as his own emptied and he gave her a grateful look, nodding to the ground in a silent order for her to stay down. As she huddled in the corner, Bucky moved over to her and stood so he was covering her. Beth looked up to see Steve at the other side of the door, unharmed, and she blew out a breath, only to freeze again as she heard the unmistakable sound of an empty chamber coming from the gun in Bucky's hand. He leaned as far back as he could against the wall and she could hear his panicked breathing, but she knew it was more in fear of her getting hurt than anything else. As the soldiers drew nearer, she slid out one of her knives and launched it, giving a satisfied smile when one of the men fell to the ground. The moment was short lived as Bucky grasped her shoulder and pulled her back sharply before she could throw another one.

"Buck!"

Her protest was cut off by him shoving her down once more. She dropped to the floor heavily and looked up to see Steve had opened the door and thrown his handgun to Bucky. Her eyes met her brother's and Steve gave her a reassuring smile before rushing forward and slamming his shield into a box, allowing Bucky to kill the soldier when he stepped to avoid being hit.

"I had him on the ropes." Bucky stated as he moved next to Steve.

"I know you did." Steve responded.

Beth rolled her eyes and stepped over to the dead soldiers, searching them for any guns still containing ammunition. She'd barely reached for the first one when Steve cried out.

"Watch out!"

The blast that followed threw her to the far end of the carriage and she let out a grunt as her head collided with the metal behind her. She instantly pulled herself up off the floor in time to see Bucky reach for the shield, Steve laying dazed next to it.

"Bucky!" she called out, darting forward as the HYDRA soldier fired again.

One second, Bucky was standing in front of her, the next second, he was gone. As Steve pulled himself up and took out the HYDRA soldier, Beth dropped to her knees and scrambled to the hole in the train to see if he had somehow managed to avoid falling. Steve darted past her and she could have sobbed when she saw Bucky clinging on to the side of the train. Steve began edging his way out to his best friend, hoping to get to him before the bar he held broke. Beth shakily stood and reached out to follow him.

"Bethie, no!"

"Beth, STAY THERE!"

The two voices halted her movements and she felt tears slide down her face as she caught gazes with Bucky. His terrified eyes looked back at her and she felt her heart stop in horror as he turned to face Steve.

"Hang on!" She heard Steve yell out.

As he drew nearer to Bucky, Beth found herself chanting 'come on, come on'. With one final stretch, she could see his fingers only millimetres away when Steve cried out once more. She wasn't sure whose scream was louder, her own or Bucky's, all she knew was that the bar gave way, sending him plunging into the ravine. At once, her heart and soul exploded, shattering into a thousand pieces. The pain forced her to her knees, red hot tears burning down her face as she gazed numbly at the ground below. She was unaware of Steve making his way back to the train, only realising he was there when he dropped to the ground next to her. He raised his arms, reaching out to her, but she jerked back, unable to accept that her brother, _Captain America,_ had failed. She couldn't breathe, the world turning black around her as her heart continued to shatter. Gasping desperately for air, she turned sorrow filled eyes to her brother, seeing that she wasn't the only one falling apart.

"Steve..." she managed to gasp.

Looking up, he saw her struggling for air and jumped up in time to catch her as the shock and pain combined, sending her into unconsciousness. Struggling with his own grief, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the front of the train, where Jones had cuffed Zola and was now bringing the transportation to a stop. The Howling Commando gave his leader a look of sympathy, his own eyes glassy. Steve placed his sister gently on the floor and Jones was barely able to stop him from launching at Zola.

"Don't! Don't do it to yourself Steve!"

With a grunt, Steve shrugged the other soldier off him and moved back over to Beth. Jones joined him and placed a hand on her forehead to smooth her hair back off her face.

"Think she'll be okay?" he asked quietly, keeping his voice low so the scientist couldn't hear.

"No. she loved him too deeply to ever be okay." was the reply.

Something told Jones that the captain wasn't just talking about his sister and reached out to squeeze Steve's shoulder comfortingly. They sat in silence as they waited for the rest of the group to arrive and when they did, no words were spoken. They were all in stages of shock and grief, and every one of them struggled not to cry, especially when they saw the broken expression on Steve's face as he gazed down at his sister.

Steve felt numb, as if this was all a horrible dream that he would wake up from any minute now. Bucky wasn't really dead, he was hiding out back and was going to jump out any second with that grin on his face that said 'Got ya!'. For hours, he waited. Long after they'd returned to base and tucked Beth up in bed, Steve kept looking out, waiting for Bucky to come running up to them. It wasn't until the sun began to set and there was still no sign that he began to lose hope. When he heard the sounds of Beth's uncontrollable sobs break through the silence of the camp in the middle of the night, he finally felt his legs give out, his own broken cries joining the ones echoing around the subdued camp.

Bucky- his best friend and brother in all but blood- was gone, and he wasn't coming back.


	23. It Never Rains But Pours

_**February 1**_ _ **st**_ _ **1945, Brooklyn, New York.**_

It felt strange being home, Steve thought as he opened the door to their apartment. He and Beth had been given three days leave to attend Bucky's funeral back in New York. They both knew it to be a lie, fully aware Bucky's body had never been found despite a fortnight of relentless searching led by Beth and himself, but Bucky's parents had been adamant there would be a funeral for their son. Neither of the Barnes's blames the Rogers siblings, even though they both blames themselves and stayed at the far back through the ceremony. Beth stood like a stone through the service, her hand clamped so tightly round Steve's, it was beginning to hurt him, but she couldn't cry. Not knowing the coffin was empty and Bucky's body was lying at the bottom of a ravine somewhere. Once the coffin was lowered into the ground, the siblings shared a look and turned to leave, only to be stopped by a familiar voice calling their names. Steve felt Beth stiffen next to him and squeezed her hand reassuringly as they turned back to see Bucky's parents and younger sister making their way over to them. The moment Amelia Barnes laid eyes on the pair, she swept forward and embraced them, eyes shining with tears. As she released Beth, she reached up to cup the young woman's face with her hands.

"Bucky sent me a letter the day before he died, telling me he was going to ask you to marry him. Did he?"

The memory threatened to shatter her once more, but Beth forced herself to answer, knowing the woman needed to know to start her healing.

"He did, and I said yes. All I ever wanted was to marry your son." She responded, her voice cracking from the emotion.

Amelia gave a shaky smile, her lips wobbling as she pulled Beth in for another embrace, clinging to the younger woman like she was the last link she had left to her son.

"As far as I'm concerned, you and Steve have been part of our family since the moment you met him and I would have been so proud to have you as a daughter. We're always here for you if you need us."

Beth nodded, unable to trust her voice to speak. Understanding, Amelia kissed her cheek and moved back to eighteen-year-old Becky, Bucky's baby sister, who was silently crying. Beth wanted to hold her and tell her it would be okay, but in all honesty, she just couldn't force her feet to move. As the two females walked back to the congregation, Bucky's father Reginald stepped forward and shook Steve's hand.

"As much as it's under horrid circumstances, it's damned good to see you both."

Steve inclined his head at the relief in the older man's face, his unspoken pleasure that he hadn't lost the pair of them as well as his son clear. He waited until his wife and daughter were out of earshot before his gaze hardened.

"What happened exactly? All they told us was that it was an unfortunate accident, but I've been there before. Nothing is 'unfortunate' in wartime. I need to know."

Steve was momentarily stunned by the request and found himself unable to form the words to tell him about Bucky's final moments. Seeing the torn expression on her brother's face, Beth was the one to speak, surprising both men.

"Bucky and I joined a small team led by Steve to take down a group called HYDRA, who started off working for Hitler before their leader decided he wants the world for himself. For months, we successfully took down a number of their bases and we finally found intel that led us to his right hand man. Bucky, myself, Steve and another of our team mates moved to apprehend him, but he was expecting us. One of his soldiers used a weapon he created to try and kill us. Bucky used Steve's shield to protect us, but the force of the blast punched a hole in the train and sent Bucky through it. Steve tried to get to him but the bar he was holding broke off a millisecond before Steve could grab him. There was nothing any of us could have done and Steve almost got himself killed trying to save him."

Her gaze switched to Steve and in it, he saw both the acceptance and forgiveness he'd been praying for a number of weeks to get. His eyes watered at the intensity of her next words and he coughed, hiding them from Reginald.

"He did everything he could. Everything."

She turned back to Reginald to see he was shaking, his fists clenched as tears slid down his face. Her voice became gentler and she placed a hand on his arm.

"The very last thing Bucky said and did saved my life. I tried to follow Steve out to help, but he made me stay back. I think he knew he was going to fall and if I was with Steve, he knew I would have jumped after him. He died a hero."

It was as if she'd turned the key and opened the box of words he needed to hear most. In a heartbeat, she found herself crushed against him, his arms locked tightly round her. She rested her head on his shoulder, wishing with every fibre of her being that they were embracing under difference circumstances.

"Thank you." He whispered, his voice quivering.

She knew there were no more words and held him a moment longer. When he released her, he held his hand out to Steve, pulling him in for a brief hug when the younger man took it. Beth heard him thank Steve too, before he started walking away from them.

"Mr Barnes!" Beth called after him.

He paused and looked back at her, a sad smile on his face.

"You're virtually my daughter. Call me Reginald."

"Reginald." She corrected, standing in front of him.

With trembling hands, she grasped the ring on her finger and pulled it off and held it out to him.

"Bucky said this was your mother's ring. I thought you would want it back for Becky."

He gazed down at the young woman, seeing how much she'd changed since leaving New York. He had always liked her, but as much as he loved his son, he'd been worried that Beth was a bit too soft-hearted and would end up getting hurt. Now, he could see her for the woman Bucky had clearly known she was capable of being and he realised she and Bucky were truly made for one another. It was evident in the way she stood, as if she was barely holding on to the line between control and hysteria. Though the ring was being offered to him, he just knew that if he accepted it, it would snap the line, and it was that knowledge that had him reaching out only to close her hand over the ring and gently push it back to her.

"I gave that ring to my son so he could give it to the woman he loved. He chose you, so it's now yours. Use it to remember him and to remember that you have a family in us and not to be a stranger, okay?"

She nodded, swallowing thickly as he finally left to hold his family. Steve's hand fell on her shoulder and she leaned into him as she slipped the ring back on her finger.

"Come on. We have to be back at the airport in an hour."

…

Another two months passed and Beth was numb. She continued her surgical training, but it felt as though she was a plane on autopilot, never quite taking in the facts given to her. she'd sat and passed her surgical exams, making her a fully-fledged surgeon, but she couldn't bring herself to celebrate the way she would have before Bucky died. She knew everyone was worried, but they had all chosen to leave her alone, especially after Steve fell victim to her right hook and ended up with a black eye for trying to push her. She was no longer an active member of the team, pulling herself from the front line before she did something stupid and make any errors.

As winter turned to spring, news came from Steve that they'd managed to take down another of HYDRA's bases and she heard through the rumour mill that they were gearing ever closer to the headquarters and with it, the final fight. She was thinking about the team when Peggy came running in to her room, face red.

"Beth, there's been an incident. It's Edward…it's not good."

Beth rose from her chair, something stirring in her for the first time in months as she ran behind the agent to the medical room. She paused in the doorway and as her eyes landed on her friend, the floodgates opened, every emotion she'd locked away rushing through her, sending her to her knees. She gasped, reaching a hand up to her heart as sorrow, panic, anger, fear, all of it, slammed into her over and over again until she felt as though she was drowning with no way of escape. She barely felt the hand that slapped her face, but the impact registered with her brain, allowing her to focus on the chocolate coloured eyes in front of her.

"Thank you." She choked out, realising her face was wet.

Peggy reached out a hand to pull her off the floor and Beth wiped at her face, the indifferent expression sliding back into place as she walked over to the table. She barely registered the team standing around the room, her gaze solely on Edward. He was already anaesthetised and three nurses were at the table waiting for her. she wasted no time preparing, simply throwing on a pair of gloves and assessing the damage as another nurse placed a scrub cap on her head and tied an apron round her.

"What happened?" she asked, seeing the surgeon's arm had been amputated at the elbow and a cloth currently covered his abdomen, already soaked with blood.

"There was a new weapon on the field. It looked like a giant dish with razor sharp edges. Edward was treating another soldier when one was thrown at him. It took his arm then hit his stomach." Falsworth reported.

Beth grit her teeth and lifted the cloth, her head spinning at the gruesome sight greeting her. She'd seen bad injuries, but this was by far the worst she'd ever seen. Not for the first time since she'd started training, she felt bile rise in her throat, but she managed to swallow it down. Whatever that weapon was, it had all but sliced him in half. A noise on her right had her turning to see Morita barely holding himself up, his face ashen. On closer inspection, only two other people in the room seemed capable of holding down the contents of their stomach and one of the nurses was swaying on the spot. Beth closed her eyes for a nanosecond to steel herself.

"Okay, I have no objections to anybody leaving if you can't handle this. If you can handle it, then I will appreciate the help."

She removed the remainder of the cloth, exposing the worst part of the injury. Even she gagged as the bowel wall split from the movement, but she quickly pressed against it to stop the bleeding. She wasn't surprised to see Steve and Dum Dum both exit the room, with Jones close behind. Morita slumped to the floor, finally passing out and the nurse beside her bent over, gagging before excusing herself, leaving Beth with only one nurse, Jones, Falsworth and Peggy in the room. Falsworth stepped closer, but when he saw it up close, his face turned green and he apologised as he all but ran from the room. Peggy stepped up to the table, gloves on and sent Beth an encouraging smile.

"Babies." She joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Hey, I'm still here aren't I?" Jones protested as he also took a place next to Beth.

"Yes you are. Welcome to the women's brigade." Peggy shot back.

Beth snorted as she fixed the tear in the bowel wall, though there wasn't really any true humour there. The nurse beside her did her best to wipe away the blood, but there was simply too much.

"I need to find where the blood's coming from, but his insides are just a mess."

The room remained silent as she worked to fix her mentor and friend. When his heart stopped beating the first time, she simply used the defibrillator to bring him back and continued trying to fix him. By the third time, she had resorted to clenching her fist and slamming it down on his chest. An hour later, when he flat-lined for the sixth time, she was openly sobbing as she compressed his chest.

"Don't do this to me Edward, please!" she begged, knowing already that it was too late, he was gone.

When a pair of arms wrapped round her to pull her away from him, she began screaming, kicking and thrashing to get back to him.

"No! I can save him!" she cried.

"No, you can't! He's gone!" Steve yelled back, his grip relentless.

She didn't listen, the final thread snapping as she reached up and punched him in the face, leaving a large, bloody mark. He only held tighter as she screamed herself hoarse, finally collapsing against him in exhaustion almost an hour later. Her shouts became broken sobs and he cradled her as she slowly sank to the floor, her tears soaking his shirt as he rocked her.

"He's gone." She choked out, and Steve realised she wasn't just talking about Edward.

"He's gone." He repeated, his voice gentle.

The sobs ceased, but her shoulders shook for a long time after, Beth finally giving in to the grief she'd repressed for so long. All Steve could do was sit there and hold her, uncaring that they were both covered in blood and tears. As long as it took her, he would be there.


	24. Grief

_As always, thank you all for the support!_

 _ **March 3**_ _ **rd**_ _ **1945, SRR Headquarters, London, England**_

Ever since Edward's death and Beth's breakdown, she'd shut herself away. If she left her room for longer than five minutes a day, they were lucky. They tried everything to break her from her depression, but it was like the lights were on with nobody home. Steve was worried sick, terrified she would do something to hurt herself in some way. It was like she simply existed. Her body functioned as normal, but her mind was locked away, leaving her unable to function properly. Beth was aware that she was sinking deeper and deeper, but she couldn't find it in her to care anymore. She made sure she ate and slept enough to keep everyone happy, but other than that, she simply spent her days sitting on her bed, staring out of the window. In all honesty, she wished she was dead, but she knew she would never act on it because of her loyalty to Steve. As much as she hurt, she would never do that to him, not to Steve.

It wasn't that the others wanted to give up on her, but after each person had tried talking to her only to either fail or have her throw something at them, they'd had to accept defeat and hope that she'd be able to claw herself back. Even Steve had to give up after weeks of blank stares from her.

The turning point came from the most unlikely source. One minute, Beth was lying on her bed in the dark, the next, her door slammed open and she found herself being dragged off the mattress onto the floor. At first, she didn't respond, but when a pair of lips touched her own, a light inside her began flickering and she struggled against the grip. As the person became more persistent, the light became stronger, until, when his hand reached down her waist, it flared to life, and with it, so did Beth. She let out a guttural cry, her hand clawing at his face. He let go with a yell and she used his distraction to knee him between the legs, scrambling off the floor as he dropped, groaning. She rushed to turn on the light and face her attacker, only for her jaw to drop as she laid eyes on a watery eyed Howard Stark.

"That was one hell of a wake up." He greeted, his voice a couple of notes higher than usual.

Beth's eyes narrowed and she strode over to him, pushing him back to the floor roughly as he stood.

"You dirty, foul, rotten **snake**!" she hissed, bearing down on him.

He raised his hands in surrender, beginning to think his plan had a major flaw; just how volatile she could be. From what he'd been told and had witnessed, he'd decided to try shocking her out of her comatose state. Clearly, he'd greatly underestimated her reaction.

"Woah, woah, woah! Okay, I know how it looks, but let me explain!"

"You just attacked me! what else IS there to explain, Howard?" she yelled

He ran a hand through his hair, pulling himself to his feet once he was certain she wasn't about to try and kill him.

"It was the only thing I could think of to snap you out of it. If there's one thing I know you wouldn't do, it's betray Bucky by letting someone take advantage of you."

The wind gushed out of her and she sank onto her bed. Howard cautiously moved closer to her and laid a hand on her shoulder. For a moment, she sat there silently and realised that he was right. The moment he kissed her, her love for Bucky had pulled her out of the box she'd shut herself in. She felt something in her soften and before he was aware she had moved, she had her arms wrapped round Howard's shoulders.

"Thank you."

His arms slid round her back and he returned the embrace. As they parted, he grinned at her.

"By the way, I've met someone, one of the ladies you listed in the book you made me actually. Please don't tell her I kissed you."

A strange feeling fluttered in her chest that she realised was amusement. It was strange to feel it after so long of numbness, so strange that she forgot to smile. Instead, she simply nodded.

"Deal. As long as you don't tell anyone I attacked you."

He pointed to the fresh scratches across his face.

"That might be difficult. However, I will do my best to avoid any questions regarding these."

He flashed her another grin and waved over his shoulder as he exited the room. Beth found herself walking over to the window to throw open the curtains, sunlight hitting her skin that was paler than she'd ever seen it. frowning, she opened the window and took a deep breath. she felt lighter than she'd done in so long, as if the cobwebs had been cleared.

She caught sight of the sun glinting off something in the corner of her eye and turned to see her engagement ring sitting on her dresser, where she'd abandoned it the day after returning from Bucky's 'funeral'. Guilt washed over her and she reached for it, the cool metal a welcome feeling as she placed it on the finger where it belonged. She blinked back tears as the guilt embedded itself further, the small voice in her head speaking up to remind her that Bucky was dead, had died to protect her, and how was she repaying him? By shutting herself away, making nothing of the life he'd given her and worse of all, had given up on the one thing she was good at and loved as much as Bucky; saving lives. All that time she'd hidden in this room; how many people had died as a result of her neglecting her duties as a doctor? All because she'd let her grief consume her. She looked down at her dresser, seeing her notebooks in a pile, gathering dust along with a photo of Bucky and the stuffed toy dog he'd given her for her 21st birthday, both also thick with dust. She brushed the layer away and gazed sadly at the items.

"I'm so sorry," she apologised, speaking to the two men. "I lost myself for a while, but I promise I'm back and it'll never happen again. I hope you can forgive me."

Silence was her answer, but she knew both of them would have forgiven her in a heartbeat, probably because they'd be too relieved to see her come back to do anything but. She sighed and reached out for the notebook on top of the pile, wincing at the state of her writing. Shrugging, she picked up the entire pile and dropped them on the bed. She had a lot of catching up to do, and she figured she could start by refreshing her medical knowledge. After that, she was long overdue a training session.

When colonel Phillips spotted her in the gym in the early hours of the following morning attacking a punching bag with a steely determination, he couldn't hold back the smile that stretched across his face.

"Welcome back, Agent Rogers."

As he left, he didn't notice Beth's lips quirk up for the first time in months, his words going straight to her heart.

"Good to be back, sir." She mumbled, her final kick knocking the bag from its chain with a satisfying thud.


	25. The Meeting

_We're almost at the end! Only two more chapters to go after this! Thank you again for your reviews, support and encouragement!_

 _..._

 _ **March 3**_ _ **rd**_ _ **, 1944. Near the HYDRA headquarters, Europe.**_

The following morning, a meeting was called for all the members of the team and the major players of the SSR along with Howard Stark. Finally, after months of searching, they had the Red Skull's location, and it was time to take action. As they began discussing tactics, Howard noticed a familiar person enter the room and he fought to hide his smile. After an hour, it was decided that they would split into three groups. Steve and one other person would work to set up the inside of the base, the rest of the team would come in through one way, the SSR another and between them and the technology Howard was supplying, they would take down HYDRA. To everyone's surprise, it was Dernier, usually the quietest in the group, that spotted the flaw in the plan.

"There's just one issue; we need someone who can slip in to the building, place the bombs and get back out. That someone needs to be small and fast to get through the tunnels and back out in five minutes. As we established previously, nobody on the team is small enough to do that." Jones translated to the group.

The room fell silent as each person tried to come up with a suitable alternative, until a voice that nobody except Howard and colonel Phillips was expecting spoke out.

"I'm pretty sure we established **one** person capable. As I remember, she did a pretty good job too."

Steve immediately flew out of his seat in shock and spun to face his little sister, his eyes betraying the relief and joy at seeing her talking again. Everyone else simply stared at her in various surprise and shock. Only Howard and the colonel showed a cool exterior, both aware she was back and ready for a fight.

"Beth." Steve breathed as she made her way through the room to join the main table.

"I'll do it." she said, her gaze connecting with his own in a silent plea to not make a scene about her return at that moment.

He was successful in not reacting to her being there, but reacted explosively to her offer.

"No. Are you crazy?!" he protested.

Beth could feel the eyes of all the room's occupants on her and she sighed, tired of people looking at her like she was a ticking time bomb about to go off any second. She was still grieving but since Howard snapping her out of it the day before, she'd realised she had so much still to live for, primarily her brother and the men in front of her she now considered her family, and it was about time they all realised that. She wanted to shout her feelings out, but knew it would only make things worse, so she settled for simply shrugging and moving to sit in the chair her brother had vacated.

"Maybe I am, but think about it boys; I'm the smallest person here, I am more than capable of fighting and I have proven on previous occasions that I am more than skilled enough for this. As for being stealthy, I snuck past Steve and Bucky a number of times growing up without them noticing and was able to get away with numerous pranks before they realised it was me and not each other." She replied, allowing a smirk to creep on to her face.

A brief flash of pain crossed Steve's gaze at the mention of Bucky, but the memory of catching her sneaking out of his room one night after she'd laid a trap for him had him chuckling as he returned to the table and stood next to her. As the people around them began murmuring between themselves, she felt his hand slide on to her shoulder, as if he had to assure himself that she was really there and not a figment of his imagination. She reached up to give his arm a reassuring squeeze, looking up at him with apologetic eyes. His response was a kiss on the top of her head, his lips brushing her ear as he spoke.

"You had me worried to death. I'm so glad you're okay."

"Honestly, I'm not, but thanks to Howard snapping me out of it, I've realised I'm wasting my talents and the life Bucky gave me, so I'm determined that I will be." She replied.

His expression turned quizzical and she shook her head, knowing he was intrigued by her mention of Howard.

"Later." She promised.

He squeezed her shoulder once more before turning his attention back to the group. The moment he began speaking, they fell silent, listening intently to his words.

"So, what does everyone think? Unless we have a unanimous agreement, Beth, you aren't going, especially as you've not trained or been active for the past few months." He said, his eyes turning to steel as he said the last part to his sister.

She sat up further in her chair, nodding in agreement. Falsworth was the first to reply.

"I'm sorry, but no. You've been a shell the past few months- how do we know you're back and not just pretending? The last thing we need is you falling apart on us in the middle of this."

Even though she knew he had a valid point, she had hoped for a bit more support from her old team mates and his words stung far more than she was happy to admit, even to herself. As a soldier she'd never before spoken to voiced his agreement, Beth fought to grit her teeth instead of shouting at them. Her fists clenched, her eyes flashing dangerously. Before she could give in and say something she would no doubt regret, Dum Dum jumped in, his voice as blaring as ever.

"That's bull and you know it! She has proven herself time and time again and has never once shown she isn't capable. She is as much a part of this team as any of us! Okay, so we lost her for a while, but do I have to remind you that her fiancé and one of her closest friends died in front of her within weeks of each other? I'm surprised she's managed to claw herself back at all, let alone after just a few months! If Beth, whose aim with a gun and surgical skills has saved more than one of our lives, isn't good enough to be let back in, then surely none of us are good enough! It's a hell yes from me."

He strode over and wrapped a chunky arm round her shoulder.

"Don't you worry darlin', I got your back." He murmured into her ear.

She gave him a grateful yet shaky smile and glanced back at the others for the rest of their verdicts. Morita simply shrugged.

"I'm cool with it."

Dernier and Jones were both quick to agree with Dum Dum and Morita, leaving only Steve and Falsworth. Falsworth didn't look happy, but at Dum Dum's expression, he relented with a sigh and held his hands up in surrender.

"Okay, I'm saying yes. I still hold reservations about your mental state, but as you said you're the only one who can carry it off. Plus, Duggan is correct; you are still one of us."

Beth silently thanked him and he bowed his head at her. She then turned her gaze up at Steve, who looked torn. Standing, she reached up and cupped his cheek, making him look at her. Sensing they were about to have a moment, the others looked away, pretending not to hear their conversation.

"Steve, I've always believed in you, and look at all you've achieved. I know I've been shut off lately, but I know I can do this. I'm back. I'm me again, fully intact and ready to get some payback for Bucky and Edward. You're the last one left to vote and I'm asking for you to believe in me and believe when I say I can do this."

Without saying a word, he wrapped his arms round her and buried his head in her neck. She returned the embrace, her eyes watering as she felt him tremble against her in an effort to hold back the tears he could feel pushing at his eyes. When they pulled apart, he brushed away a piece of her hair and gave her a gentle smile.

"I've always believed in you. Bucky believed in you too and I know that if he was here he probably would have hit me by now for not agreeing already."

A stray tear escaped her eyes and she quickly wiped it away before the others could comment on it, however, when she turned back to the table, she was surprised to find a few of them discreetly wiping their own eyes. She gave a small sniffle and grinned at them.

"So, now we're done with being emotional babies, can we say a definite yes or no?" she asked, causing them all to laugh, with Steve shaking his head in amusement.

A round of yeses came from the table and Beth nodded her head, despite the sinking feeling in her stomach that she may end up regretting her decision. Right now, she was just enjoying the feeling of belonging once again as the team rallied round her, each member of the group either embracing her, ruffling her hair or slapping her shoulder, beyond overjoyed to have her back.

"Right, so what's the plan then, Cap?" she asked Steve once they all returned to their seats, her eyes twinkling with amusement as he frowned at the nickname.

After pulling up a chair to replace the one his sister had commandeered from him, Steve cleared his throat and the room all fell silent once more as they finished the plans for their final attack.


	26. Plans That Go Awry

_Apologies for the delay in updating. I've had a couple of not-so-good weeks that have involved a lot of swearing, crying and curled up on the bed watching Netflix. On the plus side, though I haven't been writing or doing any work on my thesis as I should have, I now have two new shows to obsess over- Jessica Jones and Daredevil!_

 _Anyway, I am back now and ready for more writing action. This is the penultimate chapter- I hope you enjoy!_

 _ **March 4**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 1945. HYDRA headquarters.**_

Beth bit her lip nervously from her vantage point as she watched her brother fight the HYDRA soldiers. Her finger was itching to reach for the trigger of Bucky's Johnson rifle but she refrained, knowing it would ruin the whole plan if she let even a single shot off. Instinctively, she reached beside her for the usual reassurance from Bucky, only to touch the cold grass instead of his warm hand. She ignored the stinging in her heart, her body aching for his touch having grown accustomed to him pressing against her on missions. It hurt even more that she didn't even have her engagement ring with her for comfort, choosing to leave it in her room where it would be safe. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she forced herself to focus on the current mission.

"Ready Beth?" Peggy's voice said in her ear, breaking the silence.

"Yup." She replied.

She picked herself up off the ground, reluctantly leaving the Johnson behind and pulling her own Springfield rifle onto her back. She gave the rifle one last glance, but knew she wouldn't be able to execute her part of the plan carrying it as it was too large.

"Someone better pick up my rifle" she growled quietly.

Various chuckles filled her ear, but the reply she got from Dum Dum was a solemn promise that almost bought tears to her eyes.

"Don't worry, we will."

Satisfied, she jogged down the slope, making sure to stay out of sight of any soldiers lurking around. She silently reached the grate in the wall that was her target and with a little effort, pulled it off the wall and climbed inside, pulling it back into place just as a soldier passed by. She let out a small breath and began slowly making her way deep into the building.

"Stay safe sis." She heard Steve murmur worriedly in the earpiece and though she didn't reply for her own safety, she knew he was fully aware that his words made her heart swell.

After what felt like hours, she made her way to a room that was empty and slid out of the grate, landing softly on the balls of her feet. Slowly, she crept to the door and opened it, making sure the coast was clear. Once sure no guards were about to jump out and attack her, she reached in her pocket for one of the tiny disks given to her by Howard and pressed it against the door she exited. She made her way swiftly through the corridors, continuing her pattern of twenty steps, one disk, taking down any stray guards with her rifle. The whole time, she remained aware of the time, knowing she only had five minutes to get in and out. Once all the disks were in place, she jogged back to her starting point to leave and re-join the others outside. The door creaked open and she stepped inside to come face to face with the barrel of a gun, Schmidt smirking down at her from behind it.

"I will admit you're very good, Ms Rogers. But I am better." He gloated.

Knowing it would be stupid to fight, she placed her rifle on the ground, wishing she had Bucky's Johnson so she could shoot Schmidt in the face for her fallen fiancé. Cursing inwardly, she stood and one of the HYDRA soldiers patted her down for other weapons, pulling out two colt handguns and a knife from her ankle holster. She could only thank the heavens that she had no more of the little disks on her as that would cause more suspicion and potentially ruin the whole plan. Thankfully, they were all in place and so when the time came, the plan would still work, even if she had been dumb enough to get captured. Check of her for weapons complete, Schmidt's face pulled into a grotesque triumphant smile and she found herself glaring at his arrogance.

"Oh come now, this part of your capture is not so bad. What I do to you next however, is a little more…ungentlemanly. Please forgive me."

With that, his arm shot out, his large fist connecting with her small cheek. Despite the agony as the skin on her cheekbone ripped open, she refused to cry out. Her glare deepened as she raised her head at him, hearing a cheer in her mind that sounded suspiciously like Bucky when she saw the rage flit across his face from her lack of reaction. Seeing the triumph in her eyes, his face contorted once more in a sly smirk.

"It does not matter, the blood is enough." He nodded to one of the soldiers behind her. "Bring her."

A piece of cloth was shoved in her mouth and tied tightly round her head to stop her from speaking, before she was shoved roughly to follow Schmidt down the corridor. With every step, her dread grew and she began to worry that the others would postpone the plan as she hadn't made it back in time, which would only end badly for all of them. Finally, Schmidt held up a hand and they stopped.

"Stay here and do not come in until I command it."

He continued into the room and a moment later, she heard footsteps join him. Hearing her brother's voice had her fighting her bonds, but the soldier guarding her simply punched her in the stomach and she slumped to the floor to catch her breath. When she was hauled back to her feet, she heard the sound of flesh hitting flesh, followed by grunts from her brother that told her he was the one being hit.

"I can do this all day" she heard him say, pain lacing his voice.

"Oh of course you can, of course. But unfortunately I am on a tight schedule. Bring her!" Schmidt replied.

Steve's heart threatened to explode and he stopped breathing, hoping that the 'she' wasn't his baby sister. He watched the guards drag in a familiar body, golden hair spilling out of the braid she'd painstakingly spent half an hour getting right that morning. She looked up at him, her eyes telling him she felt that she'd failed him. He gave her a reassuring look in return and she shuddered as his eyes darkened with rage as he took in the cut on her cheek.

"It's okay." He said to her and saw her eyes glaze over with relief.

Schmidt sneered at the sentiment between the pair and the gun he had pointed at the Captain moved so it was now pointing at Beth. Ignoring Steve's cries to not hurt her, Beth looked straight in to the HYDRA leader's face, an amused smile on her own. Schmidt glared at her, finger twitching on the trigger. The siblings were really starting to grate his last nerve.

"What is so funny!?" he demanded.

She indicated behind him and he turned to see the team heading towards the window using zip wires.

"You're on a tight schedule? So am I" Steve grit out and flung one of his captors in front of him, the man evaporating as Schmidt turned the gun away from Beth to shoot him.

Several things happened at once. The guys burst in through the glass in a hail of bullets, Schmidt ran, Steve snapped the neck of the other guard holding him, Beth flung her head back to successfully connect with the nose of one of her guards and a bullet from Falsworth's gun took care of the second guard. She gave him a grateful smile as she reached up to pull the gag off. The familiar blue of Steve's uniform came in to her vision and she raised her eyes to meet his identical ones.

"Are you okay?" he asked, turning her cheek so he could see the damage more clearly.

She nodded, unable to speak as a stray bullet almost hit Steve, forcing her to pull him to one side.

"I'll be fine, just give me a gun and get after Schmidt."

Smiling proudly at her, he pulled out a spare handgun from the back of his trousers before catching his shield as Falsworth threw it to him. Sparing a kiss to her forehead, he simply muttered 'don't get killed' before taking off after the red skull. Beth stayed back with the commandos and helped them clear the room, unleashing a portion of her rage on the guards stupid enough to try and fight them. Once all the guards were dead, the group fell in to a momentary silence.

"Well, that was fun." Dugan said from behind Beth.

At once, they all burst out laughing and Beth shook her head fondly at them. Before they left, Falsworth grasped her by the arm and she wasn't the only one to give him a questioning glance.

"You scared the hell out of us when you didn't show up woman. Try not to do it again."

For the first time, she saw the Englishman in his true colours, and saw in his eyes how truly worried he had been. A quick evaluation of the rest of the time showed they shared the sentiment. She reached up and hugged Falsworth before addressing them all.

"I'm sorry. Schmidt cornered me and I couldn't get out a warning. Won't happen again, I promise."

Dum Dum gave her a stern look, the seriousness in his usual jolly face unsettling her.

"You're dam right it won't missy." The expression faded, replaced with his usual grin. "You're sticking with us from now on!"

She barked out a laugh along with the others. She didn't know when she became the unofficial second in command after Steve, but the way the others fell in behind her with no questions told her that was how they now saw her.

"Come on idiots, let's head out." She said.

"Yes Ma'am" Morita replied, an amused glint in his eye.

After a small debate, the group split in two, one half following Steve's direction, the other making their way to meet with Phillips and Peggy. A few minutes later, Beth turned a corner to see Peggy shoot at a man wearing a flamethrower suit, the pack exploding on his back.

"Nice." She commented.

Peggy spun round in fright, not hearing Beth come up behind her and the blonde woman grinned.

"Hi."

Peggy smiled, then frowned as her eyes dropped to Beth's cheek.

"It's okay, nothing I can't handle." Beth assured her.

"Okay, but if things get to bad and you want out, just say." Peggy replied.

"And miss all this fun? You gotta be kidding!" Beth laughed, her mouth quirked, though Peggy also saw the very well hidden fear in the younger woman's eyes.

The brunette reached out and took Beth's hand, squeezing it tightly. Unsaid were the words that she knew Beth was terrified and hell, so was she. But if there was one thing Agent Carter understood about Steve and Beth, it was that they were too stubborn to back down, and she made a silent promise to herself that she was going to protect them with her life. Beth squeezed back and gave a brief shaky smile before letting go as Steve reached them.

"You're late." He said to Peggy, and Beth averted her eyes, recognising that they were having a moment.

"Weren't you about to, uh…" Peggy trailed off.

"Right" Steve replied and, Beth sniggered as her awkward-as-ever brother ran off again.

Ignoring the look Peggy shot her, Beth quickly ran down a separate hall to re-join with Falsworth and Dum Dum. The pair had managed to wrench open the doors that led to a large hangar. The trio immediately fired at the soldiers following Schmidt and ran over to Steve, who was watching the plane with contemplation.

"Oh no, not that look. What crazy stunt are we pulling THIS time?" Beth asked.

"You wanna know or would you rather just go for it Bucky?" he asked, her question so like something his best friend would ask he forgot for a moment it was his sister next to him.

Knowing full well Steve was about to turn and apologise for calling her Bucky, Beth gave a sad smile and readied her gun, replying the way she knew her fiancé would.

"Let's do it, punk."

The pair charged forward, Steve running ahead of her to bash away soldiers unfortunate to stand in his path, Beth shooting at any others who tried to hurt her brother. She saw him heading towards a chain hanging down and almost stopped, believing he had finally crossed the line into insanity. Sensing her hesitation, Steve scooped her up with his arm and flung them both towards the chain. She let out a squeal as they shot across the floor towards the plane and they dropped down at a considerable speed. Despite it, she somehow managed to keep her footing enough to chase after him. She wanted to collapse with exhaustion when he finally stopped running, but she never had the chance, a pair of arms grabbing her and pulling her into a car.

"Hi", Peggy teased and Beth grinned, deciding that should they all survive, Steve was going to marry the woman. She and Bucky may not have had their happy ending, but her big brother would.

The car sped off after the plane and Beth's heart went in to her mouth, terrified they weren't going to make it. She saw Steve ready himself and even though she knew all along that was his plan, she still found herself wanting to pull him back to safety. Fighting the impulse, she instead stood in her own seat, glaring at him as he opened his mouth to argue.

"I lost Bucky, I am NOT losing you too!" she screamed over the roar of the propellers.

With a sigh, he nodded and turned his attention back to the plane.

"Keep it steady!" he called out to Phillips.

"Wait!" Beth heard Peggy shout.

Thinking something was wrong, she looked over to see Peggy's lips capture Steve's. As they parted, Beth knew she was grinning madly, but she didn't care, instead laughing as Phillips calmly informed Steve he would not be kissing him. Meeting Steve's gaze, Beth's grin dropped slightly. Steve gently reached round her, placing his shield on her back, then turned so his back was facing her. He crouched down and she climbed onto his back, her hands grasping his shoulders as tight as she could, her legs locking round his waist. A second later, he dropped and a propeller of the plane slammed into the shield on her back. She grunted from the impact, knowing she was going to have an impressive bruise from it, the pain making her grit her teeth. The pair rose again and Steve launched them on to the landing gear of the plane. Beth immediately looked back, breathing a sigh of relief to see that Peggy and the general were okay, the car remaining on the cliff. She continued clinging to Steve and as the hatch for the landing gear opened, he carefully helped her climb onto his shoulders and up into the plane. He followed after her and saw her looking at the bombs in front of them in fear.

"This can't be real." She whispered.

Steve began to wish he'd left her behind, but he knew it was too late, so he gently placed a hand on the small of her back, urging her forward. A door opened opposite them and Steve pointed down. Nodding, she silently swung over the rail to the floor below whilst Steve pulled himself up above the platform. As the soldiers reached them, Steve dropped down to take out the end guard and Beth open fired on the remaining men. She watched as Steve struggled against them and ran forward in time to see one of the bombs drop, Steve on it.

"No!" she screamed and ran over, shooting at the soldier in front of her.

There was no time for tears as she found herself overwhelmed by three guards that appeared from behind her. They pinned her arms to her sides and proceeded to march her through the plane towards Schmidt. She heard the HYDRA leader's voice speaking German over the intercom but wasn't sure what he was saying. All she knew was that as they entered the main cockpit, a crash vibrated through the plane and she almost fell with the relief that her brother was still alive.

"Leave." Schmidt commanded and the soldiers disappeared.

Beth turned to face the Red Skull, who glared venomously at her.

"You know, you really are becoming a thorn in my side."

Beth said nothing, returning his glare with her own. He continued talking, not affected by the look she gave him.

"I'm just going to have to kill you, aren't I?"

This time Beth did reply, as she saw Steve slip in to the cockpit behind Schmidt.

"I really don't care if you do. I already feel dead thanks to you killing my fiancé."

At that moment, Steve slammed in to Schmidt, causing him to stumble. Schmidt fired at Steve, the shot bouncing off the shield to create a hole in the side of the plane. Beth made her way to the controls while they fought, hoping to somehow drop the plane out of the sky. She successfully began lowering the plane until she was able to see a deep blue ocean below. As they were about to plummet into the water, a blinding pain in her stomach had her scream and drop to the floor. She vaguely heard a panic filled shout as she pressed her hand to the source, pulling away to find her hand soaked with blood. She slowly turned her head to face Steve, who looked at her with a wild terror in his eyes. She noticed Schmidt looking at her gleefully as she struggled to her knees, but knew she couldn't do anything about it.

A second shot ran out, this time narrowly missing her heart. Steve called out in panic and began running towards her, but it was too late. She could already feel her consciousness leaving and she knew she wasn't waking up from it. With effort, she looked up at Steve and gave him a smile, telling him it would be okay, but he still continued running to her. He didn't notice Schmidt raise the gun and point it at him, but Beth did. With one final push, she let out a feral scream and lunged at the HYDRA leader. Their bodies collided and she saw the gun drop to the ground. Her lips tugged upwards as he glowered darkly at her.

"The thorn strikes again." She said to him, her voice almost inaudible as she grew even weaker.

"Yes, and now, it dies." He growled back.

With all the force he had, he shoved against her. She stumbled back, weakly thrusting her arms behind her, only for her skin to meet icy cold air instead of the metal side of the plane. Her eyes widened and a silent scream fell from her mouth as she continued falling backwards. As if in slow motion, she saw Steve reach the hole, desperation on his face and tears streaming down his cheeks as he tried to reach out for her, but she knew it was too late and continued plunging to her demise. Her eyes finally slid shut as she succumbed to the death she knew was waiting for her, and as her body smacked into the water, only one breathless word left her lips.

"Sorry…"


	27. Explanations

_Here we are: the final chapter! I hope you all have enjoyed the journey so far, and I hope you enjoy the next story as well, which will be entitled Some Bonds Can Perform Miracles. Chapter one is up now so check it out!_

 _Thank you all for your continued support! I love each and every one of you!_

 _ **April 18**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 2012. SHIELD headquarters, New York City.**_

The next time Steve woke, his head felt much clearer and he breathed a sigh of relief when he realised the voices from earlier had stopped. Looking round, he found himself back in the same room he'd woken in before, only this time, there was someone else there. Turning his head to face them, he froze in stunned silence. The vague memory of seeing her in the corridor slammed into him and he took a sharp breath, still wanting to believe it was some sick illusion. Right now, that was about the only thing he could make himself believe.

"This isn't real." He murmured.

Beth shook her head sadly, the golden waves he knew so well falling into her face. She brushed them back, the same way as she had ever since her hair first started getting long as a child, but his brain still refused to accept it wasn't a trick. Even if she had survived what he knew was a fatal fall, there was no way she would still be the same age she was when he last laid eyes on her. He stood up off the bed and moved steadily towards her, growing even more suspicious when she stepped away from him, a cautious look in her eyes. His Beth would never be afraid of him, even after the first time she'd witnessed him kill a man with his bare hands.

"It's really me Steve." She said, her voice shaking as she outstretched her arms to show she meant him no harm.

Hearing her voice snapped something wild and vicious within him and he lunged for her. Instinct had him grasping her by the throat and slamming her against the wall with a sickening crunch. She'd predicted he'd be volatile and assume she was a ploy to weaken him, but she hadn't expected him to unleash almost all his strength on her. The end result of that miscalculation was her fighting to remain conscious, black spots dotting her vision. The fact he had actually hurt her felt like a punch to the gut and she let out a small whimper, partly in pain from hitting the wall, partly in pain that he'd attacked her before she had a chance to explain everything. The noise made Steve's hand loosen, conflicted between believing her and letting her go or not believing and crushing her throat. In the end, his grip remained on the soft flesh of her neck, but he didn't tighten it again. The fact that she was obviously an agent meant he expected a number of things to happen including alarms ringing for backup, or for her to fight back and attempt to make him let go, but none of them happened. Instead, she simply dropped her arms to her sides and gazed sadly at him. He felt her swallow against his hand and loosened his grip slightly more, allowing her to speak.

"You kill me now, HYDRA wins. The bullet and plummet into the ocean I took for you while trying to put Schmidt and that stupid plane in the water will have meant nothing." She managed to croak out.

Steve let go of her so quickly, she crumpled to the floor with a grunt. Before she had time to process what had happened, his arms locked round her in a vice-like embrace, crushing her against his chest, his head nestled on top of her own. Immediately, she felt warm tears on the top of her head and felt her own begin to fall in response. Altering their stance slightly, she flung her arms round his neck and felt him shake as the tears turned to heart-wrenching sobs, wracking through his body, her own sobs joining his as she pressed herself further into him.

So wrapped up in each other, neither sibling noticed the camera blinking in the corner of the room, watching them embrace for the first time in almost seventy years. In a nearby room, one pair of frowning eyes tore away from the screen to look at the other man standing in front of the screen with an impassive expression.

"Sir, why didn't you let me send someone in to help her? He was about to kill her."

Nick Fury looked over at Agent Phil Coulson, understanding the worry in the other man, but found that despite the worry caused, he did not regret his actions.

"Had I done that, he would have become angrier and most likely would have actually killed her. By doing nothing, he was able to realise she wasn't there to trick him. I predicted that not sending people in would let his mind process that thought and ultimately, that prediction saved her life."

"So you took a gamble?" Coulson asked, shocked the director would risk losing one of their most valuable agents because of a hunch. It also didn't help that he'd come to view her more as a member of his family than as simply another agent, which made him even more annoyed with the director.

"And it paid off" Fury replied, a warning in his voice that had Coulson pursing his lips together before he could say anything else.

Coulson looked back at the siblings still locked in their embrace, the joy and sorrow radiating from them tugging at his heartstrings. After knowing Beth almost fifteen years and watching her spiral further into depression with each year that passed, he couldn't supress the smile that spread across his face. His mind, however, was whirring at the fact they now had two people that were living, breathing historic legends, both of whom were supposed to be dead. As if reading his thoughts, Fury smirked.

"All we need now is Bucky Barnes to miraculously come to life and we'll have the whole set." He joked.

Coulson frowned at the attempt at humour. Somehow, he thought that if that did ever happen, it would be more likely to break the siblings rather than heal them, especially given the pain, guilt and suffering they'd gone through following the Sergeant's death. Choosing not to voice his thoughts, Coulson cleared his throat, choosing instead to say what he was originally about to say.

"This is going to change everything when the world finds out."

Fury cast him a sidelong glance.

"Indeed it will, which is why for now, it remains quiet. Only those that were present yesterday are to know. Even then, if any of them ask why Beth reacted so emotionally, they are only to be told that she is his descendent, am I understood?"

"Yes sir." Coulson nodded and left the room.

Fury turned his attention back to the screen in front of him once more. The pair had stopped hugging and were now sitting in silence, staring at each other as if neither could believe the other was truly there. He saw Steve reach up to brush away a few stray tears from Beth's cheek and she gave him a soft smile. Sensing they were about to start talking, Fury switched off the monitor. For now, he'd give them their privacy; he had bigger things to deal with, including a very intrigued Alexander Pierce.

Back in the room, Steve wiped away Beth's tears, the smile she gave in return threatening to make his heart burst out of his chest with joy. He reached out once more to her and she wordlessly climbed onto his lap. He didn't want to think about the how and why of her being here, but the need to know overwhelmed his need to stay in the moment and he found himself asking the question.

"How?"

She turned her gaze up to him, a haunted expression in them that he'd only ever seen the night Bucky died. Instinctively, he tightened his arms round her and felt her instantly relax against him, her head resting against his chest.

"How did I survive, or how am I still this age?" she asked.

"Both." He replied, unable to think of an answer himself for either one.

He felt her stiffen, and knowing her well enough to understand the memory was hard for her, his arms tightened reassuringly once more. He planted a kiss to her head and she smiled, still in shock that her brother had been alive all this time and the hope she'd held on to hadn't been in vain for once.

"It's a long story." She admitted.

Steve chuckled.

"Trust me, I'm not going anywhere any time soon."

Rolling her eyes fondly, Beth settled in further before speaking.

"Well, as you know, I was shot and fell in to the water after Schmidt pushed me. Everything after that is something straight out of a fantasy…"


End file.
